RURAL/URBAN COMPARISON OF THE HELP SEEKING PROCESS

拟议研究的两个主要目标是：1)制定全面的 两种类型的男性和女性寻求帮助的过程模型 精神健康问题--酗酒和抑郁；2)模范 这些精神障碍在寻求帮助方面存在城乡差异。数据 因为这项研究将来自4000名电话采访者 受访者，从1989年的调查受访者中挑选出1,940人， 其余被选为代表农村和边境县的人。数据在 可在当地获得的健康和精神健康服务 受访者也将被收集起来。这项研究的发现可以 预计将回答有关三方的重要理论问题 自助方式、非正式支持使用之间的关系 关于性别的网络和获得正式精神卫生服务的机会 关于求助途径的差异，以及在使用 对不同类型的障碍提供正式和非正式的支持。因为 这项研究包括小组数据，结果也将有助于评估 心理症状的出现与心理症状之间因果关系的方向 非正式支助系统使用正式服务的情况和范围， 以及随后的病程。最后，结果将提供 关于使用结构性和文化壁垒的重要基本信息 在农村地区提供精神卫生服务。这一信息将是 与农村卫生服务规划者和提供者特别相关 因为它将生成更精确的模型来估计农村心理 卫生服务需求，考虑到两个损伤率 农村社区和文化/态度障碍 阻止使用正式的精神卫生保健，并将产生 有关首选治疗来源、类型和设置的信息。

The two major aims of the proposed study are 1) to develop a comprehensive model of the help-seeking process for men and women across two types of mental health problems--alcohol abuse and depression; and 2) to model rural/urban differences in help-seeking for these mental disorders. Data for the study will come from telephone interviewers with 4,000 respondents, 1,940 selected from respondents to a 1989 survey and the remainder selected to over-represent rural and frontier counties. Data on the availability of health and mental health services available locally to respondents will also be collected. Findings from the study can be expected to answer important theoretical questions regarding the three-way relationship between methods of self-help, the use of informal support networks, and access to formal mental health services, about gender variation in help-seeking pathways, and about differences in the use of formal and informal support across different types of disorder. Because the study includes panel data, results will also be useful in assessing the direction of causality between onset of psychological symptoms, the availability and scope of informal support systems use of formal services, and the subsequent course of illness. Finally, results will provide important basic information about structural and cultural barriers to use of mental health services in rural areas. This information will be of particular relevance to rural health services planners and providers because it will generate more refined models for estimating rural mental health service needs by taking into account both rates of impairment in rural communities and the cultural/ attitudinal barriers which serve as deterrents to the use of formal mental health care and will yield information on preferred sources, types, and settings for treatment.