Pathways to mental health consultations: A study from a tertiary care setting in India

Background: Research indicates that help seeking for mental health is low and often delayed. Understanding pathways to care is crucial to facilitate mental health referrals and reduce the time to consultation. Methods: In the present study, 63 individuals were assessed on illness severity, attitudes towards help-seeking and pathways-to-care. Results: Multiple pathways for therapy were noted, a delayed-pathway, two-step referral pathway and a direct-pathway. Most prominent pathway was the delayed-pathway. The direct-pathway had least treatment delay, contributed by timely recognition of symptoms by the patient. As first point of contact, patients preferred psychiatrists and popularly sought information about treatment via media. Conclusions: There are multiple pathways to consultations, often leading to treatment delay in care received. Timely recognition of symptoms was associated a direct pathway and the least delay. These findings have implications for strengthening routes to mental health specialists at early stages and increasing awareness about treatment available.