Fu Keung Daniel Wong|Angus Lam|Ada Poon
Depression literacy among Australians of Chinese-speaking background in Melbourne, Australia
University of Melbourne|Chinese University of Hong Kong|University of Hong Kong|Services Australia
study investigated knowledge depression preference professional help medications treatment methods among australians chinesespeaking background perceptions population causes mental illnessadopting cluster convenience sampling method study recruited 200 chinesespeaking subjects four major areas metropolitan melbourne many chinese live respondents presented vignette describing individual depression asked questions assess understanding depression preference professional help medications treatment methods comparative approach used compare findings previous study mental health literacy australian japanese adultscompared australian japanese samples much lower percentage chinesespeaking australians 14 could correctly identify major depression described vignette higher percentage believed counseling professionals could helpful higher percentages believed close family members could helpful found chinesespeaking australian japanese samples two groups also expressed uncertainty usefulness harmfulness certain medications compared australian sample higher percentages respondents chinesespeaking australian australian sample considered lifestyle changes helpful compared japanese sample chinesespeaking sample 30 174 33 27 respondents rated traditional chinese medicine doctors chinese herbal medications taking chinese nutritional foodssupplements qiqong helpful many perceived changing fungshui traditional chinese worship harmful regarding perception causes mental illness items related psychosocial perspectives including life stress interpersonal conflict rated highly respondents whereas traditional beliefs including punishment misdeeds conducted ancestors demon possession lowest ratingscampaigns increase mental health literacy chinesespeaking australians needed abovementioned socially culturally driven beliefs need taken consideration development culturally relevant education programs