HELPFULNESS OF INTERVENTIONS FOR MENTAL-DISORDERS - BELIEFS OF HEALTH-PROFESSIONALS COMPARED WITH THE GENERAL PUBLIC

Background The study aimed to compare the beliefs of health profession als about the potential helpfulness of Various mental health intervent ions with those of the general public. Method Surveys were carried out in Australia of 872 general practitioners, 1128 psychiatrists, 454 cl inical psychologists and 2031 members of the public. Respondents were presented with a case vignette describing either a person with depress ion or one with schizophrenia. Respondents were asked to rate the like ly helpfulness of various types of professional and nonprofessional he lp and of pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions. Resul ts The professionals gave much higher ratings than the public to the h elpfulness of antidepress ants for depression, and of antipsychotics a nd admission to a psychiatric ward for schizophrenia. Conversely, the public tended to give much more favourable ratings to vitamins and min erals and special diets for both depression and schizophrenia, and to reading self-help books for schizophrenia. Conclusion The beliefs that health practitioners hold about mental disorders differ greatly from those of the general public. There is a need for mental health educati on campaigns to help close the gap between professional and public bel iefs.