Bakar Said S, Moshi Fabiola M
Department of Clinical Nursing, School of Nursing and Public Health, the University Dodoma.
Department of Nursing Management and Education, School of Nursing and Public Health, the University Dodoma.
East Afr Health Res J. 2022;6(2):162-170. doi: 10.24248/eahrj.v6i2.694. Epub 2022 Nov 30.
Mental illnesses are health conditions which are associated with changes in emotion, thinking, or behaviour (or a combination of these). Healthcare-seeking behaviour for formal mental health treatment is lacking all over the world, particularly in low and middle-income countries. Inappropriate health-seeking behaviours are reported to result in delays in seeking appropriate care and thus increase the risk of complications in mentally ill patients. The study aimed to assess factors influencing formal mental treatment-seeking behaviour among caretakers of mentally ill patients in Zanzibar.
A community-based cross-sectional study design was conducted from January to June, 2021. A total of 246 caretakers of mentally ill patients were recruited for the study using multi-stage sampling technique. An interviewer-administered semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect information from caretakers. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression models were applied to determine the factors influencing formal mental treatment-seeking behaviour.
Majority of caretakers 187(76%) were aware of formal mental treatment. Also, majority of the participants 145(58.9%) had appropriate healthcare-seeking behaviour toward formal mental treatment. Factors influencing formal mental treatment-seeking behaviour were; perceived severity (AOR 4.651 at 95% CI 2,397-9.021 ) and being aware (AOR 2.907at 95% CI 2.349-2.326 ).
Majority of caretakers were aware of formal mental illness treatment. Also, more than half of the caretakers had appropriate healthcare-seeking behaviour. Factors associated with formal mental treatment-seeking behaviour were awareness of formal mental treatment and perceived severity of mental illness. The study recommends a community sensitisation campaign to raise community awareness and perception towards formal mental treatment. Community sensitisation is crucial for improving formal mental treatment-seeking behaviour.
精神疾病是与情绪、思维或行为变化（或这些变化的组合）相关的健康状况。全世界都缺乏寻求正规心理健康治疗的就医行为，尤其是在低收入和中等收入国家。据报道，不恰当的就医行为会导致寻求适当护理的延迟，从而增加精神病患者并发症的风险。该研究旨在评估影响桑给巴尔精神病患者照料者寻求正规精神治疗行为的因素。
2021年1月至6月进行了一项基于社区的横断面研究设计。采用多阶段抽样技术，共招募了246名精神病患者的照料者参与研究。使用由访谈员管理的半结构化问卷从照料者那里收集信息。应用双变量和多变量逻辑回归模型来确定影响正规精神治疗寻求行为的因素。
大多数照料者187人（76%）知晓正规精神治疗。此外，大多数参与者145人（58.9%）对正规精神治疗有适当的就医行为。影响正规精神治疗寻求行为的因素有：感知到的严重程度（95%置信区间为2.397 - 9.021时，调整后比值比为4.651）和知晓情况（95%置信区间为2.349 - 2.326时，调整后比值比为2.907）。
大多数照料者知晓正规精神疾病治疗。此外，超过一半的照料者有适当的就医行为。与寻求正规精神治疗行为相关的因素是对正规精神治疗的知晓以及对精神疾病严重程度的感知。该研究建议开展社区宣传活动，以提高社区对正规精神治疗的认识和认知。社区宣传对于改善寻求正规精神治疗的行为至关重要。
