RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FAMILY BELIEFS ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH WITH FIRST ACTION FOR SEEKING MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT

Abstract

The lack of seeking treatment for mental disorder was related to the community beliefs about mental disorder. People believe that mental disorders are caused as the victims are possessed and perform witchcraft. So, people seek for help from person with supernatural ability. This study aimed to determine the relationship between family beliefs about mental health and the first step in seeking treatment for mental disorders. The design of this study is quantitative research with cross sectional approach. The sample of this study consisted of 47 family with mental health patients in Kampar Kiri Public Health Center which was selected by using total sampling technique. The data were collected by using family health beliefs about mental health questionnaire and seeking formal treatment questionnaire that had tested its validity and reliability. The univariate analysis used to determine the frequency of distribution and bivariate analysis was done using chi-square test with Kolmogorov Smirnov as alternative test. Univariate result showed that majority of respondents believe that mental health is supernatural (61.7%) with the first action in seeking treatment for mental disorders is people with supernatural ability (53. 2%). The result of bivariate analysis showed p value (0.000)