ฐานข้อมูลวิจัยด้านสุขภาพจิตและจิตเวช

ผู้วิจัย/Authors: Chadapan Ratanatikanon, M.D.** Sawitri Assanangkornchai, M.D.*** Waran Tanchaiswad, M.D.***

ชื่อเรื่อง/Title: Pattern of help-seeking by relatives of psychotic patients

แหล่งที่มา/Source: Journal of The Psychiatric Association of Thailand, Vol. 42 No.4 October-December 1997, P 226-330.

รายละเอียด / Details:

Objective To describe patterns of help-seeking by relatives of psychotic patients. Methods The relatives of 47 psychotic patients who first visited the psychiatric out-patient clinic, Songklanagarind Hospital, from September 1, 1995 to May 31,1996 were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. The factors of interest included demographic characteristics of the patients and relatives, knowledge, beliefs, and attitude of relatives towards psychotic illness and mental health services, and the clinical manifestation of the patients. Results Most patients’ relatives knew the manifestation of psychotic symptoms but not the etiology. A few believed that psychoses were caused by stress and worry, or supernatural influences. Most of them never obtained information about psychoses and health services from public health personnel. Relatives were worried about patients’ symptoms and not reluctant to see psychiatrists. In 90% of the cases, family members were the first persons who detected the patients’ psychotic symptoms. The symptoms first manifested included abnormal content and form of speech, delusions and psychomotor slow down. After detection, only one third of the relatives immediately sought help from physicians, 28% sought help from non- medical practitioners and 38% just observed and hoped that the symptoms would spontaneously improve. Conclusion This study revealed that knowledge and beliefs might play an important role in help-seeking by relatives of psychotic patients.

Keywords: help-seeking, psychosis, relatives, psychiatry, psychotic illness, mental health service, attitude

ปีที่เผยแพร่/Year: 1997

Address: Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand. *** Department of Psychiatry, Songklanagarind hospital, Hadyai, Songkla, 90112 Thailand.

Code: 0000077

ISSN/ISBN: 0125-6985

Country of publication: Thailand.

Language: English.

Category: Abstract Journal.

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