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This study investigated help-seeking intentions and use of mental health services within a sample of 1128 Mainland Chinese college students (630 males and 498 females; mean age = 20.01 years, SD = 1.48). Results of structural equation modeling and logistic regression analysis suggested that social-cognitive variables had significant effects both on students' intentions to seek professional mental health care and their actual service use. To promote help-seeking, practitioners should consider marketing campaigns and psycho-education for students and communities, enhancing knowledge and acceptance of mental health problems and effective treatment options.

Over 20% of cardiovascular disease (CVD) patients have a comorbid mental health disorder, resulting in an increased risk of recurring major adverse cardiac events (MACE) and mortality. Despite the higher risk, patients with comorbid depression or anxiety disorders are twice as likely to be non-adherent to secondary prevention. Therefore, better understanding of the adherence experiences of this subgroup is needed to inform service delivery and enhance adherence for this higher risk group. This study aims to explore the perceptions, understandings, and experiences of adherence to secondary prevention amongst 33 cardiac patients with diagnosed depression and/or anxiety disorder. Participants were recruited as part of the Cardiovascular Health in Anxiety or Mood Problems Study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted and data were analysed via inductive thematic analysis. Patient understandings of adherence to secondary prevention were limited, with medication compliance considered the marker of adherence. Further, participants did not perceive unintentional non-adherence to constitute non-adherence, rather an intent to engage was viewed as defining adherence. Participants also reported that a lack of practitioner understanding and management around their mental health negatively impacted the practitioner–patient relationship and their engagement with secondary prevention. Results highlight that unique barriers, especially around management of comorbid mental health exist for this subgroup. Additionally, adherence to secondary prevention might be limited by patients' narrow understandings of adherence as the intent to engage and as medication compliance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An increasing number of working parents are making use of out of school hours care (OSHC) for their young primary-school aged children, but in Australia very little is known about how effectively these services meet parent needs. The present pilot study aimed to gather information non-directively from employed parents, first, about how OSHC use affects their workforce participation and ability to resolve the competing demands of work and family responsibilities. The second goal was to gain some idea of what parents look for in OSHC and how satisfied they feel with the service they use. Thirteen mothers answered open-ended but structured questions in a telephone interview. They expressed how vital OSHC services are in enabling them to work, but usually did not spontaneously evaluate the quality of the service. Results suggest a need for more systematic research on OSHC quality, and how it does or might contribute to parent and child well-being.

Despite many patients waiting more than 2 years for treatment at publicly funded multidisciplinary chronic pain services, waitlist studies rarely examine beyond 6 months. We investigated psychological adjustment and health-care utilisation of individuals (N = 339) waiting ≤30 months for appointments at an Australian tertiary pain unit. Outcomes were relatively stable during the first 6 months, but long-term deteriorations in pain-related interference, distress and pain acceptance were evident, albeit with sex differences. Sexes also differed in uptake of new treatments. Medication use increased over time, but pain severity and medication relief did not. Results suggest that early intervention is important, especially for women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The purpose of this review was to systematically evaluate the available heterogeneous research examining determinants of mental health service use among young adults.Methods: Nine electronic databases were searched to identify quantitative studies examining sociodemographic and psychological variables predictive of or associated with mental health service use. Included studies were examined against the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) guidelines. Effect size estimates in the form of odds ratios were calculated and classified according to predisposing, enabling, and need factors, consistent with Andersen's behavioral model of health care.Results: Eighteen studies met all of the inclusion criteria (N=96,297 participants). Studies generally followed the STROBE recommendations for external validity, although limitations in internal validity were noted. Prior service contact and being homosexual or bisexual, female, or Caucasian were predisposing factors significantly associated with mental health service use. Social support was the single enabling factor identified, although this finding was based on limited data. In relation to need, young adults who reported higher perceived need for professional help or more mental health difficulties were more likely to have utilized services.Conclusions: This review identified subgroups of young adults who are less likely to access mental health support. Future research should focus on developing psychoeducational interventions targeted at young men and racial-ethnic minority groups, in addition to informing young adults of the success of mental health counseling in the absence of a diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]