Volume : X, Issue : VII, July - 2020

Help seeking behaviour in obsessive compulsive disorder : Factors affecting it & is there difference based on gender ?

Dr Hiral Kotadia, Dr. Manish Borasi

Abstract :

Introduction : Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is a common disorder and is quite impairing. The help seeking and pathways to care is an important aspect in implications of providing of mental health services. The pathways to care in mental health disorders may be affected by factors like gender. There is dearth of studies regarding help seeking behavior and factors like genders afeecting it in Obsessive compulsive disorder. Materials & Methods : It was a cross sectional study carried out in tertiary neuropsychiatric centre. 50 patients diagnosed as OCD, based on ICD–10 & their caregivers were included in the study after explaining purpose of the study and taking consent. A semi structured proforma was applied to study the help seeking behavior/ Results :. The most common reason for seeking help was ‘worsening of symptoms’ followed by ‘problems in working’. The time taken to seek help was greater than 12 months in most of patients The most common reason for time lag was negligence followed by stigma about illness. 8(32%) males and 10 (40%) females contacted government psychiatric hospital as first caregiver. 11 patients contacted faith healers as primary caregiver 15(60%) male patients and 11(44%) females cited ‘no improvement in condition’ as a reason to discontinue help from first caregiver. The duration of current treatment was greater than 6 months in most males (n=19) and females (n=20). 12 males and 12 females were hopeful for improvement while 13 males and 13 females were not sure on whether their condition would improve. However there was no significant difference in any of the above factors based on gender Conclusion : Various factors affect help seeking behavior and pathways to care in OCD. These factors highlight the need of awareness & education regarding mental health disorders like OCD among the community and community physicians. Factor like stigma, negligence needs to be addressed. Factor likes gender do not affect the help seeking behavior.

Keywords :

Article: Download PDF    DOI : 10.36106/ijar  

Cite This Article:

HELP SEEKING BEHAVIOUR IN OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE DISORDER : FACTORS AFFECTING IT & IS THERE DIFFERENCE BASED ON GENDER ?, Dr Hiral Kotadia, Dr. Manish Borasi INDIAN JOURNAL OF APPLIED RESEARCH : Volume-10 | Issue-7 | July-2020

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