Emotional and cognitive difficulties, help-seeking, and barriers to treatment in neurological disorders.

Abstract

To (a) explore the mental health and wellbeing of Australian adults with neurological disorders, (b) examine their history of help-seeking behavior and perceived barriers to treatment for emotional and cognitive difficulties, and (c) assess their interest in online self-management programs. A sample of 2,254 (mean age = 46.3 year; SD = 14.1; 80% were female), Australians with a neurological disorder completed an online survey of standardized measures of mental health and wellbeing, and questions about help-seeking and perceived barriers to treatment. There was consistent evidence of poor mental health and wellbeing across measures of psychological distress (Kessler 10, K10; M [24.6]; SD [8.6]), depression (Neurological Depressive Disorders Inventory-Epilepsy, NDDI-E; M [15.6]; SD [4.3]), disability (World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0, WHODAS 2.0; M [16.3]; SD [10.2]), Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS; M [20.0]; SD [8.0]), and perceived cognitive deficits (Perceived Cognitive Questionnaires, PDQ) in attention/concentration (M [2.1]; SD [1.2]); retrospective memory (M [2.0]; SD [1.0]); prospective memory (M [1.7]; SD [.9]); and planning/organization (M [2.0]; SD [1.0]). Participants reported using both formal (e.g., advice from GP and neurologist) and informal help-seeking (e.g., searching the Internet) for both emotional symptoms and cognitive difficulties, but most (>70%) reported unmet needs and experiencing barriers to seeking care, including the lack of available services and beliefs that symptoms could not change. We found high levels of comorbid psychological distress among people with neurological disorders, widespread barriers to receiving care, and a high level of interest in an online self-management program that might help overcome barriers to accessing psychological treatment for mood symptoms and impaired cognitive function. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).