Journal article
Public beliefs about treatment and outcome of mental disorders: a comparison of Australia and Japan
Anthony F Jorm, Yoshibumi Nakane, Helen Christensen, Kumiko Yoshioka, Kathleen M Griffiths, Yuji Wata
BMC MEDICINE | BMC | Published : 2005
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Surveys of the public in a number of countries have shown poor recognition of mental disorders and beliefs about treatment that often diverge from those of health professionals. This lack of mental health literacy can limit the optimal use of treatment services. Australia and Japan are countries with very different mental health care systems, with Japan emphasising hospital care and Australia more oriented to community care. Japan is also more collectivist and Australia more individualist in values. These differences might influence recognition of disorders and beliefs about treatment in the two countries. METHODS: Surveys of the public were carried out in each country using as s..
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Funding Acknowledgements
This study is part of the Australia-Japan Partnership, which is an agreement between the governments of the two countries for joint projects in areas of health. The Australian research team wishes to thank the Australian Department of Health and Aging, a National Health and Medical Research Council Program Grant, and "beyondblue: the national depression initiative" for support of the Australian survey and Kelly Blewitt for research assistance. The Japanese research team wishes to thank the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare for the Health and Labor Science Research Grants (Research on Psychiatric and Neurological Diseases and Mental Health), which allowed us to conduct our research.