Awareness and use of support services following mass violence incidents.

Autor: Rancher C; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA. Electronic address: rancher@musc.edu., Moreland AD; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA., Galea S; School of Public Health, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA., Davies F; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA., Bottomley J; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA., Abba-Aji M; School of Public Health, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA., Abdalla SM; School of Public Health, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA., Kilpatrick DG; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: Journal of psychiatric research [J Psychiatr Res] 2024 Oct 05; Vol. 180, pp. 79-85. Date of Electronic Publication: 2024 Oct 05.
DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2024.10.001
Abstrakt: Mass violence incidents (MVIs) result in significant psychological distress for survivors and the broader community. Support services (mental health services, support groups, religious support) can buffer negative effects of MVIs and facilitate recovery. However, the extent to which community members are aware of and use support services post-MVIs is unknown. A probability sample of 5991 adults (M ean age  = 45.6, SD = 17.6), mostly female (53%) and White (71%), were recruited from six communities that had experienced an MVI. Participants answered questions on their awareness and use of support services after the MVI and completed measures assessing predisposing, enabling, and need factors that may influence service use. Approximately 20% of participants reported they were aware of mental health services, 20% reported awareness of support groups, and 16% reported awareness of religious support. Younger participants with higher income (predisposing factors), high social support (enabling factor), and direct MVI exposure and psychological distress (need factors) were more likely to report awareness of support services. Of those aware of services, approximately 21% reported using support services. Those with direct MVI exposure and psychological distress were more likely to use each type of service. Otherwise, use of mental health services, support groups, and religious support varied across predisposing factors (race, age, income). Overall, findings suggest there is limited awareness of support services post-MVI, despite the well-documented mental health burden after these incidents. This suggests the need for improved communication about available services after MVIs.
Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflict of interest.
(Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)
Databáze: MEDLINE
Externí odkaz: