TY - JOUR
KW - Adolescent
KW - Adult
KW - Attitude of Health Personnel
KW - Child
KW - Child, Preschool
KW - Continuity of Patient Care/standards
KW - Family Health
KW - Female
KW - Focus Groups
KW - Humans
KW - Male
KW - Mental Disorders/psychology/therapy
KW - Parents/psychology
KW - Patient Acceptance of Health Care/psychology
KW - Physician-Patient Relations
KW - Primary Health Care
KW - Qualitative Research
AU - K. Sayal
AU - V. Tischler
AU - C. Coope
AU - S. Robotham
AU - M. Ashworth
AU - C. Day
AU - A. Tylee
AU - E. Simonoff
A1 - 
AB - BACKGROUND: Child and adolescent mental health problems are common in primary care. However, few parents of children with mental health problems express concerns about these problems during consultations. AIMS: To explore the factors influencing parental help-seeking for children with emotional or behavioural difficulties. METHOD: Focus group discussions with 34 parents from non-specialist community settings who had concerns about their child's mental health. All groups were followed by validation groups or semi-structured interviews. RESULTS: Most children had clinically significant mental health symptoms or associated impairment in function. Appointment systems were a key barrier, as many parents felt that short appointments did not allow sufficient time to address their child's difficulties. Continuity of care and trusting relationships with general practitioners (GPs) who validated their concerns were perceived to facilitate help-seeking. Parents valued GPs who showed an interest in their child and family situation. Barriers to seeking help included embarrassment, stigma of mental health problems, and concerns about being labelled or receiving a diagnosis. Some parents were concerned about being judged a poor parent and their child being removed from the family should they seek help. CONCLUSIONS: Primary healthcare is a key resource for children and young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties and their families. Primary care services should be able to provide ready access to health professionals with an interest in children and families and appointments of sufficient length so that parents feel able to discuss their mental health concerns.
BT - The British journal of psychiatry : the journal of mental science
C5 - General Literature
CY - England
DO - 10.1192/bjp.bp.110.081448
JF - The British journal of psychiatry : the journal of mental science
N2 - BACKGROUND: Child and adolescent mental health problems are common in primary care. However, few parents of children with mental health problems express concerns about these problems during consultations. AIMS: To explore the factors influencing parental help-seeking for children with emotional or behavioural difficulties. METHOD: Focus group discussions with 34 parents from non-specialist community settings who had concerns about their child's mental health. All groups were followed by validation groups or semi-structured interviews. RESULTS: Most children had clinically significant mental health symptoms or associated impairment in function. Appointment systems were a key barrier, as many parents felt that short appointments did not allow sufficient time to address their child's difficulties. Continuity of care and trusting relationships with general practitioners (GPs) who validated their concerns were perceived to facilitate help-seeking. Parents valued GPs who showed an interest in their child and family situation. Barriers to seeking help included embarrassment, stigma of mental health problems, and concerns about being labelled or receiving a diagnosis. Some parents were concerned about being judged a poor parent and their child being removed from the family should they seek help. CONCLUSIONS: Primary healthcare is a key resource for children and young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties and their families. Primary care services should be able to provide ready access to health professionals with an interest in children and families and appointments of sufficient length so that parents feel able to discuss their mental health concerns.
PP - England
PY - 2010
SN - 1472-1465; 0007-1250
SP - 476
EP - 481
EP - 
T1 - Parental help-seeking in primary care for child and adolescent mental health concerns: qualitative study
T2 - The British journal of psychiatry : the journal of mental science
TI - Parental help-seeking in primary care for child and adolescent mental health concerns: qualitative study
U1 - General Literature
U2 - 21119154
U3 - 10.1192/bjp.bp.110.081448
VL - 197
VO - 1472-1465; 0007-1250
Y1 - 2010
ER -