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Table 2 Factors influencing help-seeking decisions at the decisional balance stage

From: ‘I am not a depressed person’: How identity conflict affects help-seeking rates for major depressive disorder

  

N participants

Knowledge and attitudes to treatment

Beliefs about the appropriateness of treatment

12 (60%)

Beliefs about the availability and accessibility of treatment

9 (45%)

Fears of an unhelpful or non-empathic response from doctor/medical professional

6 (30%)

Beliefs about the effectiveness of treatment

5 (25%)

Fears that seeking help/receiving treatment will be uncomfortable or distressing

4 (20%)

Depressive symptoms

Increased symptom severity influenced beliefs about the appropriateness of treatment, and increased the costs of not seeking help

10 (50%)

General feelings of low self-worth and hopelessness

6 (30%)

Structural barriers

Time commitments

3 (15%)

Finance

2 (10%)

Other

Expectations of social stigma

9 (45%)

Stoic attitude-preference to manage symptoms alone

4 (20%)

Other costs/benefits, e.g. fears about outcome for medical record, to achieve important goals

10 (50%)