Crucial individuals in the help-seeking pathway of Chinese caregivers of relatives with early psychosis in Hong Kong. 2007

Daniel E K Wong
Department of Social Work and Social Administration, University of Hong Kong. dfkwong@hkucc.hku.hk

This study attempted to identify the crucial individuals in the help-seeking pathways of Chinese caregivers of relatives suffering from early psychosis in Hong Kong. In-depth interviews with 58 caregivers were conducted. The findings suggest that although the family caregivers usually initiated the help-seeking process, informal network members were instrumental in confirming the presence of mental illness and encouraged the caregivers to seek external help. School social workers acted as a bridge between the informal and formal networks and referred the adolescents for psychiatric consultations. However, it was found that some of the ill relatives did not recognize the severity of their mental health problems, which posed a major obstacle to help seeking. Contrary to the claims in overseas literature, the informal network members' accurate recognition of mental illness quickened the help-seeking process. Individual, cultural, and social institutional factors were identified and used to further explain these characteristics of help seeking. Implications for social work practice are highlighted.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007407 Interviews as Topic Works about conversations with an individual or individuals held in order to obtain information about their background and other personal biographical data, their attitudes and opinions, etc. It includes works about school admission or job interviews. Group Interviews,Interviewers,Interviews, Telephone,Oral History as Topic,Group Interview,Interview, Group,Interview, Telephone,Interviewer,Interviews, Group,Telephone Interview,Telephone Interviews
D008297 Male Males
D008605 Mental Health Services Organized services to provide mental health care. Mental Hygiene Services,Health Services, Mental,Services, Mental Health,Services, Mental Hygiene,Health Service, Mental,Hygiene Service, Mental,Hygiene Services, Mental,Mental Health Service,Mental Hygiene Service,Service, Mental Health,Service, Mental Hygiene
D008875 Middle Aged An adult aged 45 - 64 years. Middle Age
D010342 Patient Acceptance of Health Care Patients' willingness to receive health care. Acceptability of Health Care,Health Care Seeking Behavior,Acceptability of Healthcare,Acceptors of Health Care,Health Care Utilization,Nonacceptors of Health Care,Patient Acceptance of Healthcare,Care Acceptor, Health,Care Acceptors, Health,Care Nonacceptor, Health,Care Nonacceptors, Health,Health Care Acceptability,Health Care Acceptor,Health Care Acceptors,Health Care Nonacceptor,Health Care Nonacceptors,Healthcare Acceptabilities,Healthcare Acceptability,Healthcare Patient Acceptance,Healthcare Patient Acceptances,Utilization, Health Care
D005260 Female Females
D006723 Hong Kong The former British crown colony located off the southeast coast of China, comprised of Hong Kong Island, Kowloon Peninsula, and New Territories. The three sites were ceded to the British by the Chinese respectively in 1841, 1860, and 1898. Hong Kong reverted to China in July 1997. The name represents the Cantonese pronunciation of the Chinese xianggang, fragrant port, from xiang, perfume and gang, port or harbor, with reference to its currents sweetened by fresh water from a river west of it. Kowloon,New Territories,Hongkong
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000293 Adolescent A person 13 to 18 years of age. Adolescence,Youth,Adolescents,Adolescents, Female,Adolescents, Male,Teenagers,Teens,Adolescent, Female,Adolescent, Male,Female Adolescent,Female Adolescents,Male Adolescent,Male Adolescents,Teen,Teenager,Youths
D000328 Adult A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available. Adults

Related Publications

Daniel E K Wong
December 2006, Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology,
Daniel E K Wong
February 2003, International urogynecology journal and pelvic floor dysfunction,
Daniel E K Wong
January 2023, Behavioral medicine (Washington, D.C.),
Daniel E K Wong
September 1996, Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology,
Daniel E K Wong
March 2019, Administration and policy in mental health,
Daniel E K Wong
August 2008, Journal of the American Geriatrics Society,
Daniel E K Wong
February 2009, Hong Kong medical journal = Xianggang yi xue za zhi,
Copied contents to your clipboard!