Abstract
This study aimed to establish lifetime mental health service utilisation among the general population of Singapore. The sociodemographic correlates of those seeking help from different service provider groups and changes in lifetime mental health service utilisation between 2010 and 2016 among those with mental disorders were also explored. A population-based cross-sectional epidemiological household survey of the Singapore resident population aged 18 years and above was conducted from 2016 to 2018, using the World Mental Health Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) version 3.0. Data from two cross-sectional population-based studies were used for comparison of lifetime mental health service utilisation in 2010 (n = 6616) and 2016 (n = 6126). Chi square test and multiple logistic regression were used to analyse the data. A total of 6126 respondents completed the study in 2016. Overall 9.3% of the total sample, 32.0% of those with mental disorders, and 5.7% of those not meeting criteria for mental disorders, ever sought help for their mental health issues in their lifetime, from any treatment service sectors. Several sociodemographic characteristics were found to be correlated with different service provider groups. There was no change in mental health service utilisation between 2010 and 2016 for all mental disorders included in this study, with the exception of a significant increase in help sought from professionals in social services, among those with alcohol abuse. Even though the overall help-seeking rates are low, it is encouraging that those seeking help did so from mental health professionals and professionals working in the social services.
Highlights
More than one billion people were affected by mental or addictive disorders in 2016 (Rehm & Shield 2019)
Less than one-third (32.0%) of those who had ever been diagnosed with a mental disorder had sought help from any of the service providers for their condition, similar to the finding in SMHS 2010 where 31.7% had ever sought help (Chong et al 2012b)
This slight but insignificant change in help-seeking prevalence may indicate that overall, there has not been an increase in help-seeking even though there was a significant increase in the prevalence of mental disorders in the general population from 2010 to 2016 (Subramaniam et al, 2019)
Summary
More than one billion people were affected by mental or addictive disorders in 2016 (Rehm & Shield 2019). Mental disorders are associated with lower quality of life (Coluccia et al 2016; Dean et al 2004; Levola et al 2014), disability (Whiteford et al 2013), unemployment (Fryers et al 2005), higher mortality (Walker et al 2015) and shorter lifespan (Viron & Stern 2010). The authors noted that mental disorders were estimated by the World Health Organization (WHO), to account for 30% of non-fatal disease burden worldwide and 10% of overall disease burden, including death and disability (Marquez & Saxena 2016). Given the large numbers of people adversely affected by mental disorders it is important to study the utilisation of mental health services among this affected group
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