Christchurch psychiatric epidemiology study: use of mental health services.

Use of health and mental health services by the 1498 adults in the Christchurch psychiatric epidemiology study is reported. Fourteen percent of the sample had visited a health service for help with mental health problems over the preceding six months. Of those with identified psychiatric disorder during the last six months, only 29% had over that period visited a health service or professional for a mental health consultation though 75% had sought health care. Mental health consultations were more commonly with general practitioners than with mental health specialists, the latter seeing only one in seven of those with recent disorder. Those who at some point in their lives had not sought help, even though they or others had considered it necessary, reported the reasons to be attitudinal rather than to do with practical concerns such as finance, time or access to care.