Perceived Stigmatization, Sociodemographic Factors, And Mental Health Help-Seeking Behaviors Among Psychiatric Outpatients Attending A Psychiatric Hospital In Lagos, Nigeria.

Among the general population of patients with mental illness is a sub-population (psychiatric outpatients) who often encounter limited mental health help-seeking behaviors due to many unknown factors. Therefore, this study aimed to explore some predictors of mental health help-seeking behaviors among psychiatric outpatients. This cross-sectional study accidentally recruited 42 psychiatric outpatients receiving treatment at the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Yaba, Lagos State, Nigeria. Their mean age was 27.03{+/-}7.05 years (age range = 18-48 years). Data were collected using standardized questionnaires, and analyzed using SPSS (v. 22). Statistical significance set at p<.05. The first finding showed a positive but not significant relationship between perceived stigmatization and mental health help-seeking behavior. Second showed that gender had no significant influence on mental health help-seeking behavior. Third showed that age had a positive but not significant relationship with mental health help-seeking behavior. Last finding submitted that clinical diagnosis, religious affiliation, marital status, and educational qualification had a significant joint prediction on mental health help-seeking behaviour, with 28% variance explained. Only religious affiliation had a significant independent prediction. Our findings have practical implications for enhancing mental health help-seeking behavior and strengthening an interdisciplinary approach to mental health care.