Attitudes towards help seeking behaviour and professional psychiatric help in Slovenia

Introduction

Knowledge about signs and treatment of mental illnesses is often not enough to seek professional help. Hence, it is important to gain understanding of other determinants, i.e. attitudes, stigma, which influence help-seeking behaviour.

Objectives

Based on Ajzen's theory of planned behaviour, we aimed at collecting data of determinants known to be related to behavioural action, in our case help seeking.

Aims

To examine how attitudes, stigma and normative believes influence help seeking behaviour and whether these determinants differ in relation to demographic data and mental health indicators of the respondents’ region.

Methods

A representative sample of adult Slovene population (n = 594) was recruited via an on-line invitation. They were asked to (i) provide basic demographic data (region, age, gender, mental health history…) and (ii) to complete the inventory of attitudes toward seeking mental health services. The inventory variables (attitudes, knowledge and stigma) were linked to demographic data and mental health indicators in Slovenia.

Results

The respondents dispose of good knowledge of where and when to seek help either for themselves or others. However, the readiness to seek help was significantly lower, in particular so in men, younger, single persons and respondents from regions with lower mental health indicators. Accordingly, stigma was significantly higher pronounced in the same groups. More than 50% of respondents have already experienced mental distress, however only 25% have sought help.

Conclusions

Reasons for this “help seeking gap” should be further scrutinized. Future interventions shall be focused on changing attitudes and destigmatization mental health issues.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

How to adjust media recommendations on reporting suicidal behavior to new media developments

This study examines the inclusion of preventive factors and new media developments in media recommendations on suicide reporting. Of the 193 member states of the United Nations screened for media recommendations, information was available for 74 countries. Similarities and differences in their contents were analyzed by cluster analysis. Results indicate that of these 74 countries, 38% have national suicide prevention programs, 38% have media recommendations, and 25% have press codes including suicide reporting. Less than 25% of the media recommendations advise against mentioning online forums, suicide notes, pacts, clusters, hotspots, details of the person, and positive consequences. No more than 15% refer to self-help groups, fictional and online reporting. We conclude that media recommendations need to be revised by adding these preventive factors and by including sections on new media reporting.

Let's talk about suicide: Primary prevention programmes focusing on youth, elderly and media

Introduction

Slovenia is a country with a very high suicide rate. Unfortunately, there is a lack of primary suicide prevention programmes.

Objectives

Our main objective was to develop suicide prevention programmes, which would decrease suicide rate in Slovenia. We would achieve that by increasing awareness and knowledge of different professionals, who address or come in contact with the most vulnerable risk groups.

Methods

Firstly we identified school counselors, family doctors and media as professionals to target. School counselors have an important gatekeeper’s role in youth suicide prevention and family doctors are of a similar importance for elderly population. Besides, media has a significant influence on any at-risk person regarding suicide prevention. Secondly, we prepared manuals with practical guidelines: for school counselors - how to recognize and deal with suicidal youth, for family doctors - how to recognize and treat depression and suicidal behavior among elderly, and for media representatives - how to responsibly report about suicide. Lastly, we performed 1-day workshops for all gatekeepers’ groups covering the contents of the manuals.

Results

All the initiatives received highly positive expert-reviews and a lot of encouraging feedbacks from participants. An evaluation with pre-post questionnaire showed that participants’ feelings of competency in dealing with suicidal person have improved after the involvement in programmes’ workshops and reading the manuals.

Conclusions

Experiences showed that primary suicide prevention programmes are highly appreciated and we believe that is necessary to continue and deepen the work in this area also in the future.