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Whom to Ask for Professional Help in Case of Major Depression? Help-Seeking Recommendations of the Sardinian Public

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Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose of the study is to investigate help-seeking preferences of the Sardinian public in case of depression. A telephone survey was conducted among the adult population, using quota sampling (N = 1,200). Respondents were presented with a vignette depicting a person with symptoms of major depressive disorder, followed by a fully structured interview. Psychologists were most frequently selected as source of professional help, followed by psychiatrists and G.P.s. Residents of small towns more frequently recommended mental health professionals than city residents. Public help-seeking preferences reflect the availability of services, beliefs about the appropriate treatment of depression and attitudes towards those providing it.

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful to Emilio Del Giudice for programing the interview. We also want to thank all the interviewers: Laura Aresu, Francesca Atzei, Giovanna Cabras, Paola Carrus, Luisa Farris, Francesca Floris, Laura Pilutzu, Daniela Moro, Annalisa Motzo, Alessandra Pingiori, Elisa Pintus, Mirra Pintus and Franca Vargiu.

Conflict of interest

None.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Public Health, Clinical and Molecular Medicine, University of Cagliari, Via Ospedale 117, 09100, Cagliari, Italy

    Maria Francesca Moro & Matthias C. Angermeyer

  2. Center for Public Mental Health, Gösing Am Wagram, Austria

    Matthias C. Angermeyer

  3. Institute of Social Medicine, Occupational Health and Public Health, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany

    Herbert Matschinger

  4. Institute of Medical Sociology, Social Medicine and Health Economics, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany

    Herbert Matschinger

  5. Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria

    Anita Holzinger

  6. Department of Public Health, Clinical and Molecular Medicine, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy

    Anna Paola Piras, Francesca Cutrano, Gioia Mura & Mauro Giovanni Carta

Authors
  1. Maria Francesca Moro
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  2. Matthias C. Angermeyer
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  3. Herbert Matschinger
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  4. Anita Holzinger
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  5. Anna Paola Piras
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  6. Francesca Cutrano
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  7. Gioia Mura
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  8. Mauro Giovanni Carta
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Maria Francesca Moro.

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Moro, M.F., Angermeyer, M.C., Matschinger, H. et al. Whom to Ask for Professional Help in Case of Major Depression? Help-Seeking Recommendations of the Sardinian Public. Adm Policy Ment Health 42, 704–713 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10488-014-0604-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10488-014-0604-y

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