Seeking mental health care from private health practitioners among individuals with alcohol dependence/abuse; results from a study in the French general population.
Alcohol
; 59: 1-6, 2017 03.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-28262183
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION:
Better knowledge of the factors that have an impact on pathways to mental health care may contribute greatly to organizing optimum health-care delivery. However, surveillance systems concerning alcohol problems in the French general population are suboptimal. The objectives of this study were to investigate 1) the prevalence of mental health-care seeking in individuals with alcohol abuse/dependence in France, 2) which category of medical practitioner was consulted, and 3) psychological and socio-environmental factors associated with mental health-care seeking.METHODS:
A total sample of 22,138 individuals was interviewed in a telephone survey. Individual data on alcohol dependence/abuse and other mental health disorders were collected using the Composite International Diagnosis Interview - short form. Mental health-care seeking was assessed, together with data on living conditions, deprivation, and self-reported drinking problems. Only respondents meeting criteria for alcohol dependence/abuse were included in analyses.RESULTS:
Less than half of the 722 respondents with alcohol abuse/dependence had sought mental health care in the preceding 12 months, of whom 90.5% consulted their general practitioner (GP) (56.1%), or both a general practitioner and a psychiatrist (34.4%). Mental health-care seeking was associated with female sex, previous alcohol discussion with a doctor, and the presence of psychiatric comorbidities arising in the preceding 12 months. Living environment, socio-economic status, or self-reported drinking problems had no influence.DISCUSSION:
A minority of people with alcohol abuse/dependence sought mental health care, mainly in relation to psychiatric comorbidities. In addition, most people consulting a GP were not referred to a psychiatrist. However, social deprivation and living in rural areas did not hinder mental health-care seeking among respondents. Adequate protocols to treat alcohol disorders could be implemented among private health-care providers to improve management of alcohol problems in France.Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Private Practice
/
Patient Acceptance of Health Care
/
Mental Health
/
Alcoholism
/
General Practitioners
/
Mental Disorders
Type of study:
Diagnostic_studies
/
Guideline
/
Observational_studies
/
Prevalence_studies
/
Qualitative_research
/
Risk_factors_studies
/
Screening_studies
Limits:
Adolescent
/
Adult
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
/
Middle aged
Country/Region as subject:
Europa
Language:
En
Journal:
Alcohol
Journal subject:
TRANSTORNOS RELACIONADOS COM SUBSTANCIAS
Year:
2017
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country: