Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health
Volume 17, Issue 6, 2015, Pages 1679-1686

Help Seeking Attitudes Among Cambodian and Laotian Refugees: Implications for Public Mental Health Approaches (Article)

Thikeo M.* , Florin P. , Ng C.
  • a Department of Psychiatry, University of Rochester Medical Center, 300 Crittenden Boulevard, Rochester, NY 14642, United States
  • b Department of Psychology, University of Rhode Island, Chafee Hall, 10 Chafee Road, Kingston, RI 02881, United States, FCCE Shepard 236, Kingston, RI 02881, United States
  • c Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, The Melbourne Clinic, 130 Church Street, Richmond, VIC 3121, Australia

Abstract

This is a pilot study of demographic and acculturation factors in relation to attitudes toward seeking psychological help among Lao and Cambodian refugees and immigrants in the United States of America. Cambodian and Laotian American adults in the United States of America were approached to complete help-seeking attitudes and acculturation scales. T test and hierarchical multiple regression analyses were used to analyze the relationships between the demographic and acculturation variables, and attitudes toward seeking psychological help. Out of 270 target subjects approached there were 108 respondents. Of the demographic variables, gender was associated with favorable attitudes towards psychological help-seeking. As expected, women were significantly more likely than men to recognize the need for help, to seek psychological help, to be more open to discussing mental health problems, and have more confidence in professional services. Acculturation was more powerfully associated with help- seeking attitudes than any of the demographic variables. In hierarchical multiple regression, acculturation contributed significant unique variance over and beyond the entire set of demographic variables to openness to discussing problems and having confidence in professional help. The findings of this pilot study suggest that there are significant barriers to seeking psychological help among Lao and Cambodian Americans. Attention to the issues of gender and levels of acculturation may improve access. © 2015, Springer Science+Business Media New York.

Author Keywords

Help seeking attitudes Asian mental health Refugee health Acculturation

Index Keywords

refugee mental health service Cambodia Laos mental health human epidemiology Refugees middle aged sex difference time factor Time Factors Aged language ethnology Mental Health Services United States Young Adult Humans psychology Adolescent Asian Americans male Asian American Acculturation Socioeconomic Factors female pilot study socioeconomics cultural factor Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice adult Sex Factors patient attitude Patient Acceptance of Health Care attitude to health Pilot Projects
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84946488070&doi=10.1007%2fs10903-015-0171-7&partnerID=40&md5=b61a43f961d37795c15beab6498ade9f
DOI: 10.1007/s10903-015-0171-7
ISSN: 15571912
Cited by: 5
Original Language: English