Citation

Qiu L, Xu H, Li Y, Zhao Y, Yang Q. BMC Public Health 2024; 24(1): e1314.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2024, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group - BMC)

DOI

10.1186/s12889-024-18826-x

PMID

38750484

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Medical students are known to be at a greater risk of psychological disorders compared to the general population. However, their rate of help-seeking behavior is low. The purpose of this study was to explore the influencing factors of attitudes towards psychological help-seeking among Chinese medical students and to examine its gender differences.

METHODS: A total of 3,453 medical students from three medical colleges in Hainan Province, China, completed anonymous questionnaires that included socio-demographic attributes, the Family APGAR Index, the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-20), and the Attitudes Towards Seeking Professional Psychological Help Short Form (ATSPPH-SF). Associations between predictor variables and attitudes towards help-seeking were explored using multivariate linear regression, and regression models with interaction terms were employed to test gender difference.

RESULTS: The mean score on ATSPPH-SF Scale was 15.04 ± 3.45, with males scoring significantly lower than females (14.34 vs. 15.64, P < 0.0001). For both male and female groups, psych knowledge, mental health status, family function and help-seeking utility perception significantly influenced attitudes toward psychological help-seeking. Furthermore, having more than once psycho-help experiences was positively correlated with women's attitudes. Significant interactions were found between gender and mental health status.

CONCLUSION: Attitude towards seeking psychological help was relatively negative among Chinese medical students. The implementation of interventions should take into account the at-risk population, especially the males and individuals with poor mental health.

Language: en

Keywords

*Students, Medical/psychology/statistics & numerical data; Adult; Attitude; Attitude of Health Personnel; China; Chinese medical students; East Asian People; Female; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Help-seeking behavior; Help-Seeking Behavior; Humans; Male; Mental Disorders/psychology; Mental health; Patient Acceptance of Health Care/psychology/statistics & numerical data; Sex Factors; Surveys and Questionnaires; Young Adult