Background: Little is known about the help-seeking behaviour and barriers to care among people with depression in poor resource settings in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Methods: This is a cross-sectional population-based study including 977 persons aged 18-40 living in the Eastern Cape Province in South Africa. The prevalence of depression was investigated with the help of a questionnaire (the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview). Several socio-economic variables, statements on help-seeking and perceptions of earlier mental health care were included. Data collection was performed from March to July 2012.
Results: The prevalence of depression was 31.4%. People aged 18-29 and those with no or low incomes were less likely to seek help. Promotive factors for help-seeking included having social support and tuberculosis comorbidity. Of all people with depression in this sample, 57% did not seek health care at all even though they felt they needed it. Of the variety of barriers identified, those of most significance were related to stigma, lack of knowledge of their own illness and its treatability as well as financial constraints.
Limitation: Recall bias may be present and the people identified with depression were asked if they ever felt so emotionally troubled that they felt they should seek help; however, we do not know if they had depression at the time they referred to.
Conclusions: Depression is highly prevalent among young adults in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa; however, many do not seek help. Health planners should increase mental health literacy in the communities and improve the competence of the health staff.
Keywords: Barriers to care; Disability; Help-seeking behavior; Major depression; Right to health; South Africa.
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