Olsson Sara, Burström Bo, Hensing Gunnel, Löve Jesper
School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Institute of Medicine, University of Gothenburg, Box 453, 405 30, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Department of Global Public Health, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77, Stockholm, Sweden.
Arch Public Health. 2021 Nov 3;79(1):189. doi: 10.1186/s13690-021-00706-0.
Depression and anxiety disorder contribute to a significant part of the disease burden among men, yet many men refrain from seeking care or receive insufficient care when they do seek it. This is plausibly associated with poorer mental well-being, but there is a lack of population-based research. This study investigated 1) if men who had refrained from seeking mental healthcare at any time in life had poorer mental well-being than those who sought care, 2) if those who had sought care but perceived it as insufficient had poorer mental well-being than those who had perceived care as sufficient, and 3) if these differences persisted after 1 year.
This longitudinal study used questionnaire data from a population-based sample of 1240 men, aged 19-64 years, in Sweden. Having refrained from seeking mental healthcare, or perceiving the care as insufficient, at any time in life, was assessed in a questionnaire, 2008. Current mental well-being was assessed in 2008 and 2009 using mean scores on the WHO (Ten) Well-being Index. Lower scores indicate poorer mental well-being. Group differences were calculated using t-tests and multivariable linear regression analysis.
Of the men who had perceived a need for mental healthcare, 37% had refrained from seeking such care. They had lower mental well-being scores in 2008, compared to those who sought care. Of those seeking care, 29% had perceived it as insufficient. They had lower mental well-being scores in 2008, compared to those who perceived the care as sufficient, but this was not statistically significant when controlling for potential confounders. There were no differences in mental well-being scores based on care-seeking or perceived care-sufficiency in 2009.
This population-based study indicates that men who have previously refrained from seeking mental healthcare, or perceived the care as insufficient, have poorer mental well-being. However, the lack of differences at the one-year follow-up contradicts these results. The results highlight the need for larger longitudinal studies, measuring care-seeking within a more specified time frame. This should be combined with efforts to increase men's mental healthcare-seeking and to provide mental healthcare that is perceived as sufficient.
抑郁症和焦虑症在男性疾病负担中占很大一部分，但许多男性不愿寻求治疗，或者在寻求治疗时得到的治疗不足。这可能与较差的心理健康状况有关，但缺乏基于人群的研究。本研究调查了：1）一生中曾在任何时候都未寻求心理保健的男性，其心理健康状况是否比寻求治疗的男性更差；2）那些寻求过治疗但认为治疗不足的男性，其心理健康状况是否比认为治疗充足的男性更差；3）这些差异在1年后是否仍然存在。
这项纵向研究使用了来自瑞典1240名年龄在19至64岁之间的男性人群样本的问卷数据。通过2008年的一份问卷评估一生中是否曾在任何时候都未寻求心理保健，或是否认为治疗不足。2008年和2009年使用世界卫生组织（十项）幸福指数的平均得分评估当前的心理健康状况。得分越低表明心理健康状况越差。使用t检验和多变量线性回归分析计算组间差异。
在那些认为需要心理保健的男性中，37%的人未寻求此类治疗。与寻求治疗的男性相比，他们在2008年的心理健康得分较低。在寻求治疗的男性中，29%的人认为治疗不足。与认为治疗充足的男性相比，他们在2008年的心理健康得分较低，但在控制潜在混杂因素后，这在统计学上并不显著。2009年，基于寻求治疗或认为治疗充足与否的心理健康得分没有差异。
这项基于人群的研究表明，之前未寻求心理保健或认为治疗不足的男性，其心理健康状况较差。然而，一年随访时缺乏差异与这些结果相矛盾。结果强调需要进行更大规模的纵向研究，在更具体的时间框架内衡量寻求治疗的情况。这应与增加男性寻求心理保健的努力以及提供被认为足够的心理保健相结合。
