The ability to seek help or medical care for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is vital for sexually active youth; yet, their needs are often unmet. We conducted a qualitative systematic review of studies to assess youth and provider... more
The ability to seek help or medical care for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is vital for sexually active youth; yet, their needs are often unmet. We conducted a qualitative systematic review of studies to assess youth and provider views about the behaviors of young people in help seeking and care seeking for STI services in low- and middle-income countries. We searched peer-reviewed literature for studies published between 2001 and 2014 with a study population of youth (age, 10-24 years) and/or health service providers. Eighteen studies were identified for inclusion from 18 countries. Thematic analyses identified key themes across the studies. The majority of studies included discussion of youth not seeking treatment, resorting to self-treatment, or waiting to access care, suggesting that many youth still do not seek timely care for STIs. Youth desired more information on sexual health and cited barriers related to fear or taboos in obtaining help or information, especially ...
The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experience of help-seeking by South African women following sexual assault. Hermeneutic phenomenology guided the study. Interviews were conducted with six women who had experienced sexual... more
The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experience of help-seeking by South African women following sexual assault. Hermeneutic phenomenology guided the study. Interviews were conducted with six women who had experienced sexual assault at some point in their lives. Three venues were most significant to women's help-seeking experiences: the criminal justice system, health care facilities, and/or social service agencies. Essentially, the women's help-seeking experiences in these three venues are best described as fraught justice-seeking, pragmatic help-seeking, and desperate help-seeking. The study findings have implications for the provision of services for women who experience sexual assault in South Africa.
Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) has been defined as deliberately damaging one's body tissue without conscious suicidal intent. NSSI is a robust predictor of suicidal ideation and attempts in adults. While NSSI has been associated with... more
Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) has been defined as deliberately damaging one's body tissue without conscious suicidal intent. NSSI is a robust predictor of suicidal ideation and attempts in adults. While NSSI has been associated with other-directed violence in adolescent populations, the link between NSSI and interpersonal violence in adults is less clear. The current study examined the cross-sectional relationship between NSSI and past-year interpersonal violence among 729 help-seeking veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Veterans who reported a recent history of engaging in cutting, hitting, or burning themselves were significantly more likely to report making violent threats and engaging in violent acts, including the use of a knife or gun, in the past year than veterans without NSSI. NSSI was uniquely associated with interpersonal violence after controlling for a variety of dispositional, historical, contextual, and clinical risk factors for violence, includin...
Substance addiction in young adults is particularly problematic. Yet, much remain at stake in understanding the specifics of this population's access to services. The objective of this study is to explore young adults' initiation... more
Substance addiction in young adults is particularly problematic. Yet, much remain at stake in understanding the specifics of this population's access to services. The objective of this study is to explore young adults' initiation of substance misuse treatment. Our study sample was composed of 35 individuals aged 18 to 30 with problematic psychoactive substance use who have been identified in criminal courts, hospital emergency departments, and Health and Social Services Centers in Québec (Canada). A thematic analysis was performed on the 62 semi-structured interviews conducted with participants. Three components emerged. First, personal elements-expectations, individual motivations, perceptions of use, and capacity to control it-influence initiation of substance misuse treatment. Second, family and peers have noticeable influences. Finally, system characteristics and prior care experiences also shape the process. Consideration should be given to tailor interventions that can...
U.S. Army soldiers with mental disorders report a variety of barriers to initiating and continuing treatment. Improved understanding of these barriers can help direct mental health services to soldiers in need. A representative sample of... more
U.S. Army soldiers with mental disorders report a variety of barriers to initiating and continuing treatment. Improved understanding of these barriers can help direct mental health services to soldiers in need. A representative sample of 5,428 nondeployed Regular Army soldiers participating in the Army Study to Assess Risk and Resilience in Servicemembers completed a self-administered questionnaire and consented to linking self-administered questionnaire data with administrative records. We examined reported treatment barriers (perceived need, structural reasons, attitudinal reasons) among respondents with current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, mental disorders who either did not seek treatment in the past year (n = 744) or discontinued treatment (n = 145). About 82.4% of soldiers who did not initiate treatment and 69.5% of those who discontinued treatment endorsed at least two barriers; 69.8% of never-treated soldiers reported no perceived ne...
Suicide is a leading cause of death for college-aged youth, and university counseling centers (UCC) strive to educate students about mental health issues and available campus services. The current research evaluates a college campus... more
Suicide is a leading cause of death for college-aged youth, and university counseling centers (UCC) strive to educate students about mental health issues and available campus services. The current research evaluates a college campus social norms campaign that used both peer and celebrity sources to promote help seeking among college students as a suicide prevention strategy. Postcampaign surveys of this quasi-experiment (n = 391) revealed that compared to students in the control neighborhood condition, students exposed to the campaign messages in the experimental neighborhood conditions were more likely to perceive students would refer a friend to the UCC and more likely to visit the UCC for a mental health concern. Students living in the intervention neighborhood with a peer message source reported a greater willingness to refer friends to the UCC compared to those who lived in the celebrity and control neighborhoods. Regardless of condition, students who reported seeing UCC messag...
We examined whether risks to children of intimate partner violence survivors affected the type of legal assistance accessed. We hypothesized that the level and type of perceived child risk would be associated with whether women sought a... more
We examined whether risks to children of intimate partner violence survivors affected the type of legal assistance accessed. We hypothesized that the level and type of perceived child risk would be associated with whether women sought a protection order in civil court or filed charges against a current or former intimate partner in criminal court. Using data from a sample of predominantly African American women (N=293), we found that some forms of child risk were positively associated with seeking a civil order of protection but negatively associated with pressing criminal charges. Implications for practice, policy, and future research are presented.
Background and aims Families play an important role in the evolution of gambling and are also adversely affected by the disordered gambling of any one of their members. The aims of this study were to explore both the role families play in... more
Background and aims Families play an important role in the evolution of gambling and are also adversely affected by the disordered gambling of any one of their members. The aims of this study were to explore both the role families play in gambling initiation, maintenance, and help-seeking, and the harm caused to families by the gambling behavior using a qualitative approach. Methods Regular older adult gamblers were included in the study. In-depth interviews were conducted with 25 older adults to gain an understanding of gambling from their perspective. Older adult gamblers described their lived experience of gambling ranging from initiation to harm and attempts to cut down or limit gambling. Data were analyzed using thematic network analysis. Results The mean age of the 25 participants was 66.2 years. The majority were male (n = 18), of Chinese ethnicity (n = 16), had secondary education (n = 9), were married (n = 20), and currently employed (n = 15). Four organizing themes related...
Background: The prevalence of intimate partner violence is high in Sri Lanka. To identify the socio-demographic profile, nature of abuse and help seeking behavior of victims of IPV in the central province, Sri Lanka. Methods: All victims... more
Background: The prevalence of intimate partner violence is high in Sri Lanka. To identify the socio-demographic profile, nature of abuse and help seeking behavior of victims of IPV in the central province, Sri Lanka. Methods: All victims of IPV presenting to the two medical units from 2005 to 2014 were included. Results: All were female; 33.1% were between the ages of 31 to 40 years; 90.5% were married; and 64.5% were financially dependent on the other partner. Thirty two percent were educated to a level above the ordinary level examination. Sixty four percent did not report a history of abuse among parents while 25% of accused partners and 7% of victims reported abuse among parents. Majority of victims (45%) experienced both physical and verbal abuse with a significant majority experiencing physical abuse alone. The victim's confidence in legal authorities' decreased with increasing number of lodged police complaints. Considering the current episode, 43.8% stated the reason for admission to hospital as for security. Inquiry on the future course of action regarding the relationship revealed that 59.5% would accept the partner in spite of abuse while only 7.85% wanted legal separation or divorce. Conclusion: Majority of victims were between 31-40 years, and financially dependent on their partner. Majority of victims were experienced both physical and verbal abuse. Even though help was sought from the police as means of protection only a few wanted legal separation.
Anchored in the social organization theory of action and change, we use data from a large sample of active-duty Air Force members to examine the direct and indirect influence of social involvement and social responsibility on willingness... more
Anchored in the social organization theory of action and change, we use data from a large sample of active-duty Air Force members to examine the direct and indirect influence of social involvement and social responsibility on willingness to seek help in times of need via trust in formal systems and informal supports. Group comparisons are conducted between junior male, junior female, senior male, and senior female service members. The key mediational path in the model for all groups is the connection between social involvement and willingness to seek help via trust in formal systems. These results can inform both unit- and community-level interventions intended to increase the likelihood that active-duty AF members will seek help in times of need.
This paper uses the National Survey of American Life (NSAL) to examine within group differences regarding help-seeking for substance disorders among a US sample of African American and Caribbean Black men and women. We examined ethnic and... more
This paper uses the National Survey of American Life (NSAL) to examine within group differences regarding help-seeking for substance disorders among a US sample of African American and Caribbean Black men and women. We examined ethnic and gender differences in the type of providers sought for substance disorder treatment, as well as reasons for avoiding treatment. Results indicate that overall, few ethnic differences exist; however, African Americans are more likely than Caribbean Blacks to seek help from human service professionals (including a religious or spiritual advisor) and from informal sources of treatment such as self-help groups. Black men with a substance disorder were more likely to see a psychiatrist than Black women. Findings regarding reasons for avoiding treatment suggest that there may be a need to provide better education about the utility of substance disorder treatment, even before problems reach a high level of severity.
Persons with potentially harmful sexual interests such as attraction to minors are unlikely to seek or receive treatment before a sexual offense has been committed. The current study explored barriers to help-seeking in a sample of 372... more
Persons with potentially harmful sexual interests such as attraction to minors are unlikely to seek or receive treatment before a sexual offense has been committed. The current study explored barriers to help-seeking in a sample of 372 individuals in treatment for sexual offending. Results revealed that the shame and secrecy resulting from stigma associated with pedophilic interests often prevented our respondents from seeking professional counseling, and only about 20% tried to talk to anyone about their sexual interests prior to their arrest. Barriers to seeking and receiving psychological services included concerns about confidentiality, fears of social and legal consequences, personal shame or confusion about the problem, affordability, and challenges finding competent therapists who were adequately equipped to help them. Understanding and ultimately reducing obstacles to help-seeking can improve the quality of life for people with harmful sexual interests and potentially preven...
Individuals from Black and Asian Minority Ethnic (BAME) groups are less likely to receive a diagnosis and to engage with treatment for depression. This review aims to draw on international literature to summarise what is known about how... more
Individuals from Black and Asian Minority Ethnic (BAME) groups are less likely to receive a diagnosis and to engage with treatment for depression. This review aims to draw on international literature to summarise what is known about how people specifically of South Asian origin, migrants and non-migrants, understand and experience depressive symptoms. The resulting evidence base will further inform practices aimed at encouraging help-seeking behaviour and treatment uptake. A systematic review and thematic synthesis of qualitative literature conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Using predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria, electronic searches will be conducted across 16 databases. Study quality will be assessed using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP). Data will be extracted independently by 2 reviewers. Ethical approval is not required. A comprehensive evidence base of how people from Sout...
There is an urgent need to establish effective strategies for suicide prevention. Stigma against depression may be a potential anti-protective factor for suicide. Thus, we investigated baseline levels of awareness and attitudes toward... more
There is an urgent need to establish effective strategies for suicide prevention. Stigma against depression may be a potential anti-protective factor for suicide. Thus, we investigated baseline levels of awareness and attitudes toward depression and its treatment among the general population by our original 18-item questionnaire, which we aimed to validate in the present study. Next, we conducted two types of educational interventions and examined the results to clarify the difference in the quality of these lectures. Subjects were 834 citizens (245 males and 589 females) who received an anti-stigma-targeted (n = 467) or non-targeted lecture (n = 367). An 18-item questionnaire assessing levels of awareness and attitudes toward depression and its treatments was administered to each participant before and after the lecture. A chi-square test was used to investigate categorical variables for background data on the participants. Factor analysis of baseline scores was conducted on the 18...
This content analysis examines written documentation of telephone calls to a regional sexual assault hotline over a 5-year period. All male callers identified as primary victims were selected for analysis (n = 58) and a corresponding... more
This content analysis examines written documentation of telephone calls to a regional sexual assault hotline over a 5-year period. All male callers identified as primary victims were selected for analysis (n = 58) and a corresponding sample of female primary victims (n = 58) were randomly selected for comparison to better understand the help-seeking behavior of sexual assault survivors and inform services accordingly. A summative content analysis revealed significant contrasting themes between male and female victims, including females significantly receiving more referrals and males accessing the hotline to tell their experience of being sexually assaulted due to perceived limited support. Implications for training, practice, and future research are discussed.
AimTo evaluate a training intervention for general practice-based doctors and nurses in terms of the identification, documentation, and referral of male patients experiencing or perpetrating domestic violence and abuse (DVA) in four... more
AimTo evaluate a training intervention for general practice-based doctors and nurses in terms of the identification, documentation, and referral of male patients experiencing or perpetrating domestic violence and abuse (DVA) in four general practices in the south west of England.BackgroundResearch suggests that male victims and perpetrators of DVA present to primary care clinicians to seek support for their experiences. We know that the response of primary care clinicians to women patients experiencing DVA improves from training and the establishment of referral pathways to specialist DVA services.MethodThe intervention consisted of a 2-h practice-based training. Outcome measures included: a pre-post, self-reported survey of staff practice; disclosures of DVA as documented in medical records pre-post (six months) intervention; semi-structured interviews with clinicians; and practice-level contact data collected by DVA specialist agencies.ResultsResults show a significant increase in...
Although evidence-based and effective treatments are available for people with depression, a substantial number does not seek or receive help. Therefore, it is important to gain a better understanding of the reasons why people do or do... more
Although evidence-based and effective treatments are available for people with depression, a substantial number does not seek or receive help. Therefore, it is important to gain a better understanding of the reasons why people do or do not seek help. This study examined what predisposing and need factors are associated with help-seeking among people with major depression. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 102 subjects with major depression. Respondents were recruited from the general population in collaboration with three Municipal Health Services (GGD) across different regions in the Netherlands. Inclusion criteria were: being aged 18 years or older, a high score on a screening instrument for depression (K10 > 20), and a diagnosis of major depression established through the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI 2.1). Of the total sample, 65 % (n = 66) had received help in the past six months. Results showed that respondents with a longer duration of symptoms ...
Delays in seeking appropriate healthcare can increase the case fatality of acute febrile illnesses, and circuitous routes of care-seeking can have a catastrophic financial impact upon patients in low-income settings. To investigate the... more
Delays in seeking appropriate healthcare can increase the case fatality of acute febrile illnesses, and circuitous routes of care-seeking can have a catastrophic financial impact upon patients in low-income settings. To investigate the relationship between poverty and pre-hospital delays for patients with acute febrile illnesses, we recruited a cross-sectional, convenience sample of 527 acutely ill adults and children aged over 6 months, with a documented fever ≥38.0°C and symptoms of up to 14 days' duration, presenting to a tertiary referral hospital in Chittagong, Bangladesh, over the course of one year from September 2011 to September 2012. Participants were classified according to the socioeconomic status of their households, defined by the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative's multidimensional poverty index (MPI). 51% of participants were classified as multidimensionally poor (MPI>0.33). Median time from onset of any symptoms to arrival at hospital was 22...
Our understanding of psychotic disorders is largely based on studies conducted in North America, Europe and Australasia. Few methodologically robust and comparable studies have been carried out in other settings. INTREPID is a programme... more
Our understanding of psychotic disorders is largely based on studies conducted in North America, Europe and Australasia. Few methodologically robust and comparable studies have been carried out in other settings. INTREPID is a programme of research on psychoses in India, Nigeria, and Trinidad. As a platform for INTREPID, we sought to establish comprehensive systems for detecting representative samples of cases of psychosis by mapping and seeking to engage all professional and folk (traditional) providers and potential key informants in defined catchment areas. We used a combination of official sources, local knowledge of principal investigators, and snowballing techniques. The structure of the mental health systems in each catchment area was similar, but the content (i.e., type, extent, and nature) differed. Tunapuna-Piarco (Trinidad), for example, has the most comprehensive and accessible professional services. By contrast, Ibadan (Nigeria) has the most extensive folk (traditional)...
To assess the number of parents who visited community pharmacies in London seeking pain medications for their children's pain and specifically for oral pain, to identify which health services parents contacted before their pharmacy... more
To assess the number of parents who visited community pharmacies in London seeking pain medications for their children's pain and specifically for oral pain, to identify which health services parents contacted before their pharmacy visit and to estimate the cost to the National Health Service (NHS) when children with oral pain who visit pharmacies also see health professionals outside dentistry. A cross-sectional study. 1862 pharmacies in London in November 2016-January 2017. Parents, carers and adolescents purchasing over-the-counter pain medications or collecting pain prescriptions for children (0-19 years). A survey administered by pharmacy staff to participants and a guidance pack. The number of parents who visited pharmacies seeking pain medications for their children's pain and oral pain and the number of parents who contacted health professionals outside dentistry before their pharmacy visit. Estimated costs of visits by children with oral pain to health professionals...
Limited knowledge is available on the conditions that contribute to women's help-seeking after domestic violence in South Africa. Qualitative research conducted with 17 abused women in shelters in South Africa indicate that the best... more
Limited knowledge is available on the conditions that contribute to women's help-seeking after domestic violence in South Africa. Qualitative research conducted with 17 abused women in shelters in South Africa indicate that the best interests of children are influential both in women's decisions to stay in abusive relationships and to seek help. The personal decisions of women to seek help are influenced by powerful social discourses on the best interests of the child. Policy and practice that advocate for the best interests of the child need to prioritize the safety of both mothers and their children in domestic violence situations.
This study explored undergraduate student teachers experiences on psychosocial stressors, how they resolve the stressors, and the level of utilization of college help or support resources. A self-report questionnaire was administered to a... more
This study explored undergraduate student teachers experiences on psychosocial stressors, how they resolve the stressors, and the level of utilization of college help or support resources. A self-report questionnaire was administered to a total of 187 first year, second year and third year student teachers (M=25 & SD=3.38) from Dar es Salaam University College of Education, Tanzania. Regardless of gender, student teachers reported to have had high level of stressful experiences to the extent of needing assistance. And the longer the students stay in the college the more stressful experiences they are likely to encounter. Although students would most often prefer face to face followed by making a telephone call in seeking for help, there is a low utilization of formal college help services such as counseling compared to the informal sources of help like fellow students. And a lack of awareness, ethical concerns, and cultural factors emerged as the major barriers to help-seeking from ...
The purpose of this study was to investigate neurocognitive, demographic and clinical correlates of vocational participation among a sample of young help-seeking adults. Young people (18-25 years) accessing an early intervention youth... more
The purpose of this study was to investigate neurocognitive, demographic and clinical correlates of vocational participation among a sample of young help-seeking adults. Young people (18-25 years) accessing an early intervention youth health service participated. The Global Functioning: Role scale and level of vocational participation, participant characteristics (age, gender, socioeconomic background and family history of serious mental illness), distress, psychotic-like experiences, substance use, and mental health diagnoses were recorded. The Cambridge Neuropsychological Testing Automated Battery was used to assess sustained attention, visual memory and executive function. Of the 107 participants, 33 (31%) were not working or studying and 52 (49%) had a diagnosis of affective disorder. Impairments in neurocognitive tests were evidenced in attention shift, sustained attention target sensitivity, impulsivity and spatial working memory errors. Univariate analyses indicated that info...
Tuberculosis (TB) is common in Thailand. Delay in initiating tuberculosis treatment is a major public health problem. Delay in treatment can result in more severe diseases, risk for death, and greater risk of tuberculosis transmission in... more
Tuberculosis (TB) is common in Thailand. Delay in initiating tuberculosis treatment is a major public health problem. Delay in treatment can result in more severe diseases, risk for death, and greater risk of tuberculosis transmission in the community. We attempted to determine the duration from onset of TB symptoms to the date of first consultation (patient delay) and the factors associated with that delay at 10 tertiary level care hospitals in Thailand. All participants aged 18 years who were willing to participate were included in the study, which was conducted from January to December 2012. A structured questionnaire and medical records were used to collect data. One hundred ninety-nine TB patients were included in the study. The mean age of subjects was 48 years (SD = 15.9); 69.8% were male. The median duration from onset of symptoms to first medical consultation was 30 days. On multivariate analysis, living in an urban area (adjusted odds ratio = 2.81; 95% CI: 1.29-6.14) was a...
Men with prostate cancer often need social support to help them cope with illness-related physiological and psychosocial challenges. Whether those needs are met depends on receiving support optimally matched to their needs. This study... more
Men with prostate cancer often need social support to help them cope with illness-related physiological and psychosocial challenges. Whether those needs are met depends on receiving support optimally matched to their needs. This study examined relationships between perceived stress, prostate cancer-related stigma, weak-tie support preference, and online community use for social support in a survey of online prostate cancer community participants (n = 149). Findings revealed a positive relationship between stigma and perceived stress. This relationship, however, was moderated by weak-tie support preference and online community use for social support. Specifically, stigma was positively related to perceived stress when weak-tie support was preferred. Analyses also showed a positive relationship between stigma and perceived stress in those who used their online community for advice or emotional support. Health communication scholars should work collaboratively with diagnosed men, clini...
Communicating health messages is an important way to influence people's behaviors towards health issues. Providers need to incorporate audience's perspective to design more persuasive messages. This study aimed to develop rating... more
Communicating health messages is an important way to influence people's behaviors towards health issues. Providers need to incorporate audience's perspective to design more persuasive messages. This study aimed to develop rating scales for measuring audience's perception of effectiveness of health messages in Japanese people. The comprehensibility scale including five items and the persuasiveness scale including seven items were designed based on literature review. A cross-sectional web-based survey was conducted among Japanese adults aged 35-45 years to assess the reliability and validity of the scales. Participants were asked to rate a text message that encouraged help-seeking intention for insomnia. All scale items were scored on a 1-to-5 point Likert scale, and they were averaged to produce an overall score for each scale. Explanatory factor analysis revealed a two-factor solution that agreed with the comprehensibility and persuasiveness scales, respectively. Correla...
The aim of this study was to explore the online distress and help-seeking behavior of youths in Hong Kong. A cross-sectional telephone-based survey was conducted among 1,010 young people in Hong Kong. Logistic regression analysis was then... more
The aim of this study was to explore the online distress and help-seeking behavior of youths in Hong Kong. A cross-sectional telephone-based survey was conducted among 1,010 young people in Hong Kong. Logistic regression analysis was then performed to identify the factors associated with those who reported expressing emotional distress online and the differences in help-seeking behavior among four groups of youths: (1) the non-distressed (reference) group; (2) "Did not seek help" group; (3) "Seek informal help" group; and (4) "Seek formal help" group. The seeking of help and expression of distress online were found to be associated with a higher lifetime prevalence of suicidal ideation. The "Seek formal help" and "Did not seek help" groups had a similar risk profile, including a higher prevalence of suicidal ideation, non-suicidal self-injury, unsafe sex, and being bullied. The "Seek informal help" group was more likely to ...
Intimate partner violence has profound effects on women's identities. However, detailed examination of how abuse affects identity is lacking. We interviewed 14 diverse women (Australia), applying social identity theory to analyze... more
Intimate partner violence has profound effects on women's identities. However, detailed examination of how abuse affects identity is lacking. We interviewed 14 diverse women (Australia), applying social identity theory to analyze their experiences of identity and help-seeking in health settings. The destabilizing effect of violence on social identities was strongly supported. Women concealed abuse to preserve a public identity. However, when the violence threatened the most integrated identities, women unveiled an abuse identity, receiving mixed responses from health providers. A healing context where a woman can display an abuse identity safely is crucial to enable her to rebuild an integrated self-concept.
To examine the association between multisite musculoskeletal pain in adolescence and mental health disorders in young adulthood. Data were obtained from a linkage between the Norwegian Patient Registry (2008-2012) and the Norwegian Arctic... more
To examine the association between multisite musculoskeletal pain in adolescence and mental health disorders in young adulthood. Data were obtained from a linkage between the Norwegian Patient Registry (2008-2012) and the Norwegian Arctic Adolescent Health Study, a school-based survey conducted among 10th grade students in North Norway (2003-2005). In total, 3987 (68%) of all 5877 invited participants consented to the registry linkage. Mental healthcare use and disorders from age 18-20 to 23-25 years (5 years). Musculoskeletal pain was measured by the number of musculoskeletal pain sites. Multivariable logistic regression was used to explore the association with later mental healthcare use and disorders. Multisite adolescent musculoskeletal pain was significantly associated with an increase in mental healthcare use and mental health disorders in young adulthood. The relationship was stronger for anxiety and mood disorders, in both genders. Overall, the association between musculoske...
The ability to seek help or medical care for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is vital for sexually active youth; yet, their needs are often unmet. We conducted a qualitative systematic review of studies to assess youth and provider... more
The ability to seek help or medical care for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is vital for sexually active youth; yet, their needs are often unmet. We conducted a qualitative systematic review of studies to assess youth and provider views about the behaviors of young people in help seeking and care seeking for STI services in low- and middle-income countries. We searched peer-reviewed literature for studies published between 2001 and 2014 with a study population of youth (age, 10-24 years) and/or health service providers. Eighteen studies were identified for inclusion from 18 countries. Thematic analyses identified key themes across the studies. The majority of studies included discussion of youth not seeking treatment, resorting to self-treatment, or waiting to access care, suggesting that many youth still do not seek timely care for STIs. Youth desired more information on sexual health and cited barriers related to fear or taboos in obtaining help or information, especially ...
Suicidal ideation (SI) is a common mental health problem. Variability in intensity of SI over time has been linked to suicidal behavior, yet little is known about the temporal course of SI. The primary aim was to identify prototypical... more
Suicidal ideation (SI) is a common mental health problem. Variability in intensity of SI over time has been linked to suicidal behavior, yet little is known about the temporal course of SI. The primary aim was to identify prototypical trajectories of SI in the general population and, secondarily, to examine whether receiving Web-based self-help for SI, psychiatric symptoms, or sociodemographics predicted membership in the identified SI trajectories. We enrolled 236 people, from the general Dutch population seeking Web-based help for SI, in a randomized controlled trial comparing a Web-based self-help for SI group with a control group. We assessed participants at inclusion and at 2, 4, and 6 weeks. The Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation was applied at all assessments and was included in latent growth mixture modeling analysis to empirically identify trajectories. We identified 4 SI trajectories. The high stable trajectory represented 51.7% (122/236) of participants and was characterized...
This article conceptualized emergency preparedness as a complex, multidimensional construct and empirically examined an array of sociodemographic, motivation, and barrier variables as predictors of levels of emergency preparedness. The... more
This article conceptualized emergency preparedness as a complex, multidimensional construct and empirically examined an array of sociodemographic, motivation, and barrier variables as predictors of levels of emergency preparedness. The authors used the 2010 wave of the Health and Retirement Study's emergency preparedness module to focus on persons 50 years old and older in the United States by use of logistic regression models and reconsidered a previous analysis. The models demonstrated 3 key findings: (1) a lack of preparedness is widespread across virtually all sociodemographic variables and regions of the country; (2) an authoritative voice, in the role of health care personnel, was a strong predictor of preparedness; and (3) previous experience in helping others in a disaster predisposes individuals to be better prepared. Analyses also suggest the need for caution in creating simple summative indexes and the need for further research into appropriate measures of preparednes...
To assess the number of parents who visited community pharmacies in London seeking pain medications for their children's pain and specifically for oral pain, to identify which health services parents contacted before their pharmacy... more
To assess the number of parents who visited community pharmacies in London seeking pain medications for their children's pain and specifically for oral pain, to identify which health services parents contacted before their pharmacy visit and to estimate the cost to the National Health Service (NHS) when children with oral pain who visit pharmacies also see health professionals outside dentistry. A cross-sectional study. 1862 pharmacies in London in November 2016-January 2017. Parents, carers and adolescents purchasing over-the-counter pain medications or collecting pain prescriptions for children (0-19 years). A survey administered by pharmacy staff to participants and a guidance pack. The number of parents who visited pharmacies seeking pain medications for their children's pain and oral pain and the number of parents who contacted health professionals outside dentistry before their pharmacy visit. Estimated costs of visits by children with oral pain to health professionals...
