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Delay to Seek Treatment for Anxiety and Mood Disorders in an Australian Clinical Sample

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 February 2012

Anna Thompson ,
Cathy Issakidis  and
Caroline Hunt
Anna Thompson*
Affiliation:
Charles Sturt University, Australia. anthompson@csu.edu.au
Cathy Issakidis
Affiliation:
University of New South Wales at CRUfAD, St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney, Australia.
Caroline Hunt
Affiliation:
School of Psychology, University of Sydney, Australia.
*
*Address for correspondence: Dr Anna Thompson, School of Social Sciences and Liberal Studies, Charles Sturt University, Panorama Ave, Bathurst NSW 2795, Australia.
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Abstract

Effective treatments for common anxiety and mood disorders exist, yet epidemiological studies reveal that the unmet need for treatment in the community remains high. This study investigates the significance of the initial delay to first seek professional help in this unmet need for treatment in an Australian sample. Help-seeking history was retrospectively reported by 273 new referrals to a specialist anxiety treatment clinic who had a primary diagnosis of an anxiety (78%) or mood disorder (22%). Clinical, demographic and attitudinal variables were tested as potential predictors of length of the delay. Average help-seeking delay was 8.2 years (range 0–72 years). Younger age at symptom onset and slower problem recognition were associated with delayed help-seeking, and older people were more likely to report longer delays. We conclude that delays to first seek treatment are long and contribute significantly to the unmet need for treatment for anxiety and mood disorders, and that lack of problem recognition is a significant barrier to help-seeking.

Keywords

help-seeking behaviourhealth care utilisationepidemiologyanxiety disordersmood disorders
Type
Standard Papers
Information
Behaviour Change , Volume 25 , Issue 2 , 01 June 2008 , pp. 71 - 84
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2008

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