Collaborative Antwerp Psychiatric Research Institute (CAPRI), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
Family Medicine and Population Health (FAMPOP), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
BMC Psychiatry. 2022 Jul 7;22(1):455. doi: 10.1186/s12888-022-04094-9.
Mental health problems often remain undetected and untreated. Prior research suggests that this is mainly due to a lack of need-perception and attitudinal barriers. The aim of this study is to examine unmet mental health needs using both a clinically assessed and a self-perceived approach in a Belgian province.
A cross-sectional survey study with a weighted representative sample of 1208 individuals aged 15 - 80 years old was carried out in 2021 in the province of Antwerp (Belgium). Mental health needs were defined as a positive symptom screening for depression (PHQ-9), anxiety (GAD-7) or alcohol abuse (AUDIT-C and CAGE), combined with experiencing significant dysfunction in daily life. Also 12-month health care use for mental health problems, self-perceived unmet mental health needs and reasons for not seeking (extra) help were assessed. Logistic regression analyses were used to explore the predictors of mental health problems, health care use, and objective and subjective unmet mental health needs.
One in five participants had a positive screening on one of the scales, of whom half experienced dysfunction, leading to a prevalence of 10.4% mental health needs. Among those, only half used health care for their mental health, resulting in a population prevalence of 5.5% clinically assessed unmet mental health needs. Fourteen percent of the total sample perceived an unmet mental health need. However, more women and younger people perceived unmet needs, while clinically assessed unmet needs were higher among men and older people. One in six of the total sample used health care for their mental health, most of whom did not have a clinically assessed mental health need. Motivational reasons were most often endorsed for not seeking any help, while a financial barrier was the most important reason for not seeking extra help.
The prevalence of unmet mental health needs is high. Assessed and perceived (unmet) mental health needs are both relevant and complementary, but are predicted by different factors. More research is needed on this discrepancy.
心理健康问题常常未被发现和治疗。先前的研究表明，这主要是由于缺乏需求感知和态度障碍。本研究旨在通过临床评估和自我感知的方法，在比利时的一个省调查未满足的心理健康需求。
这是一项 2021 年在安特卫普省（比利时）进行的横断面调查研究，使用加权代表性样本对 1208 名年龄在 15 至 80 岁的个体进行调查。心理健康需求定义为抑郁（PHQ-9）、焦虑（GAD-7）或酒精滥用（AUDIT-C 和 CAGE）的阳性症状筛查，同时伴有日常生活功能显著受损。还评估了 12 个月的心理健康问题保健服务使用情况、自我感知的未满足的心理健康需求以及不寻求（额外）帮助的原因。使用逻辑回归分析来探讨心理健康问题、保健服务使用以及客观和主观未满足的心理健康需求的预测因素。
五分之一的参与者在一个量表上有阳性筛查结果，其中一半人经历了功能障碍，导致心理健康需求的患病率为 10.4%。在这些人中，只有一半人因心理健康问题使用了保健服务，导致临床上评估的未满足的心理健康需求的患病率为 5.5%。总样本中有 14%的人感知到未满足的心理健康需求。然而，更多的女性和年轻人感知到未满足的需求，而临床上评估的未满足的需求在男性和老年人中更高。总样本中有六分之一的人因心理健康问题使用了保健服务，其中大多数人没有临床上评估的心理健康需求。不寻求任何帮助的最常见原因是动机原因，而不寻求额外帮助的最重要原因是经济障碍。
未满足的心理健康需求的患病率很高。评估和感知到的（未满足的）心理健康需求都是相关且互补的，但由不同的因素预测。需要进一步研究这种差异。
