Table 3.
A framework to guide review of service use components
| Component | Summary of content |
|---|---|
| Hospital admissions | Questions about hospital admissions for mental health asked respondents about: • number of admissions • date of admission • age at time of admission • duration of admission • (medical reason for admission) |
| Medications | Questions about medications taken or prescribed for mental health asked about: • prescriptions received from a physician • age at time of receipt of prescription or length of time they had been taking the medication • herbal medicines; ‘recommended/prescribed’ herbal medicines • the professional who recommended the herbal medicine • (types of medication taken in the past 2 weeks – up to five types of medication could be recorded) • (number of medications taken) • (whether medications were taken according to the recommended dose) |
| Health professionals consulted | Most surveys asked which professionals had been consulted in the past 12 months; commonly listed professionals were: • psychiatrist • psychologist • social worker • counsellor • other mental health professional • general practitioner or family doctor • other medical doctor • nurse, occupational therapist or other health professional • religious or spiritual advisor • other healer Some surveys asked about the modality of the consultation, including whether the health professional was: • seen in person • talked to over the phone |
| Number, duration, payment and location of health professional consultations | Surveys collected specific information about the respondents’ consultations with health professionals, asking for: • age at first and last visit • frequency and duration of visits • (how many different doctors or clinics were visited) • location of visits • total money spent on mental health treatment in the past 12 months out-of-pocket • payment method |
| Interventions received | Survey questions asked about types of interventions received, options included: • telephone psychic or telephone counsellor, including duration and topic of call • counselling • alternative therapies (e.g. acupuncture, biofeedback, hypnosis, massage therapy, etc.) • (psychotherapy) • (cognitive behavioural therapy) • (help to sort out housing or money problems) • (help to improve your ability to work, or to use your time in other ways) • (help to improve your ability to look after yourself or your home) • (help to meet people for support or company) |
| Support services or self-management strategies | Several different support services or self-management strategies were listed as options, including: • the internet for information • support group or chat room • self-help group • hotline or telephone counselling service • psychological counselling or therapy • (self-coping strategies) • (services provided by employer) |
| Perceived need for care | Surveys asked respondents: • whether or not they felt they received as much help as they needed for problems related to mental health in the past 12 months • what specific treatments they felt that they did not receive, e.g. not enough medicine or tablets or not enough talk therapy |
| Barriers to mental healthcare | Surveys inquired about barriers to care. Themes included: • financial barriers • self-reliance • knowledge and beliefs about treatment • stigma from others and discrimination • practical barriers and availability • (spirituality and faith) |
| Treatment dropout | Surveys also asked participants if they completed the recommended course of treatment and barriers to continuing care; listed reasons for dropout included: • self-reliance • stigma • beliefs about treatment • practical reasons and cost |