Help‐seeking behavior of west African Migrants

In this article, the authors present essential aspects of the help‐seeking behavior with regard to mental health problems of Ghanaian migrants in the Netherlands. Samples of citizens in the general population (n=97) and outpatients treated in mental health care facilities (n=36) were included. Data were acquired by administering a semi‐structured interview. Quantified data were analysed using hierarchical multiple regression analyses and direct (standard) logistic analyses. Help‐seeking pathways are multi‐determined. Being involved in Dutch society may determine an individual's attitude toward health care and the time before taking action. Particularly, socio‐demographic variables (e.g., age, unemployment, urbanicity) and acculturative demands (integrative skills, normative orientation) shape the help‐seeking orientation and service utilization in multiethnic settings. A liaison between mental health services, traditional healers, religious leaders and self‐help groups might therefore benefit patients. By identifying and emphasizing the specific social and acculturation components that facilitate or deter health behaviours, we are better able to implement health care interventions among different ethnic and cultural communities. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.