Perceptions and attitudes of users and non-users of mental health services concerning mental illness and services in Japan

Takashi Uchino; Eriko Fukui; Youji Takubo; Momoko Iwai; Naoyuki Katagiri; Naohisa Tsujino; Haruhiko Imamura; Chiyo Fujii; Kuniaki Tanaka; Tetsuo Shimizu; Takahiro Nemoto

doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1138866

Perceptions and attitudes of users and non-users of mental health services concerning mental illness and services in Japan

Front Psychiatry. 2023 Jul 17:14:1138866. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1138866. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Takashi Uchino^{1

2

3

4}, Eriko Fukui^{1

4}, Youji Takubo¹, Momoko Iwai^{1

4}, Naoyuki Katagiri^{1

4}, Naohisa Tsujino^{1

5}, Haruhiko Imamura⁶, Chiyo Fujii⁷, Kuniaki Tanaka^{1

3}, Tetsuo Shimizu⁸, Takahiro Nemoto^{1

2

4}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Neuropsychiatry, Toho University Faculty of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
² Department of Psychiatry and Implementation Science, Toho University Faculty of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
³ Tokyo Adachi Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.
⁴ SODA Youth Mental Health Council, Tokyo, Japan.
⁵ Department of Psychiatry, Saiseikai Yokohamashi Tobu Hospital, Kanagawa, Japan.
⁶ Graduate School of Health and Nutrition Sciences, The University of Nagano, Nagano, Japan.
⁷ Department of Community Mental Health and Law, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, Japan.
⁸ Akita Prefectural Mental Health and Welfare Center, Akita, Japan.

Abstract

Objectives: There is a global movement to develop and implement community-based integrated mental health systems. The present study attempted to clarify the perceptions and attitudes of users and non-users of mental health services concerning mental illness and services in Japan.

Methods: A new questionnaire was developed for this internet survey. Data from 500 outpatients with depression and 500 healthy subjects were sampled according to the demographics of the Japanese population.

Results: Over 90% of healthy subjects and over 70% of patients were unaware of the common age of onset or lifetime prevalence of mental illness. Over 90% of the healthy subjects and about 70% of the patients could not describe any services where they would feel comfortable discussing mental health problems. In both groups, "adolescents and young adults" were ranked first as a target population for mental health and illness policies. The top requirement for the integrated care systems was the promotion and awareness of correct knowledge of mental illness in both the healthy subjects and patients.

Conclusion: Societal requirements could include disseminating correct knowledge, awareness-raising actions for society, and implementing services where people, especially young people, can easily consult and receive support in the community.

Keywords: community; early intervention; implementation research; integrated care system; mental health; perception.