Shoesmith WD, Borhanuddin AFBA, Yong Pau Lin P, Abdullah AF, Nordin N, Giridharan B, Forman D, Fyfe S. Reactions to symptoms of mental disorder and help seeking in Sabah, Malaysia.
Int J Soc Psychiatry 2018;
64:49-55. [PMID:
29103338 DOI:
10.1177/0020764017739643]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND
A better understanding is needed about how people make decisions about help seeking.
MATERIALS
Focus group and individual interviews with patients, carers, healthcare staff, religious authorities, traditional healers and community members.
DISCUSSION
Four stages of help seeking were identified: (1) noticing symptoms and initial labelling, (2) collective decision-making, (3) spiritual diagnoses and treatment and (4) psychiatric diagnosis and treatment.
CONCLUSION
Spiritual diagnoses have the advantage of being less stigmatising, giving meaning to symptoms, and were seen to offer hope of cure rather than just symptom control. Patients and carers need help to integrate different explanatory models into a meaningful whole.
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