Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #110034

Norbert Schmitz, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, 6875, Boul. LaSalle, Douglas Hospital Research Centre, Montreal, QC H4H 1R3, Canada, 514-761-6131-3379, norbert.schmitz@douglas.mcgill.ca

International surveys have indicated that mental disorders are highly prevalent and exact a high emotional toll on individuals, families, and society. Help-seeking research for mental health problems has tended to focus on the current episode of illness. However, relatively little is known about the factors that influence the speed to initial treatment for new-onset or incident cases of psychiatric disorder. The aim of the present study was to evaluate typical delays in making initial treatment contact after first onset of mood, anxiety, and substance dependence disorders in the Canadian community. The recent Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS 1.2) was used to estimate treatment delays. The total number of participants in the CCHS-1.2 was 36,984. Lifetime mental disorders were assessed using a modified version of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI). Respondents were asked if and when they ever had a session of psychological counseling or therapy with a health professional that lasted 15 minutes or longer. Cumulative lifetime probability curves show that the majority of people with lifetime disorders make treatment contact. More treatment contacts were made for mood disorders than for anxiety and substance dependence disorders. Median years of delay differed across disorders, from 4 years for mood disorders to 15 years for substance dependence disorders. Failure to make initial treatment contact is an important component of the larger problem of unmet need for mental health care. Interventions are needed to decrease these delays.

Learning Objectives:

• At the conclusion of the presentation, the participant should be informed about typical delays in making initial treatment contact after first onset of mental disorders in a representative community sample.

Keywords: Treatment, Psychiatric Epidemiology

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.