The Correlates of Healthcare Seeking Behavior in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Abstract

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a chronic, distressing, and disabling illness that influences the family, academic, occupational, and social functioning of patients. One of the 10 leading causes of disability worldwide is OCD; however, despite the considerable distress and disability associated with the disorder and the availability of treatment options, many OCD sufferers usually are not inclined to seek healthcare. The factors that may be central to healthcare seek behavior in OCD has scarcely been described in the literature. It has been thought that the best predictor of healthcare seeking is severity of illness; however, individuals with OCD may have various barriers to seeking healthcare. Although non-disease and disease-related factors that may influence health care seeking are related in complex ways through reciprocal influences and feedback, each factor might be an independent predictor of use of healthcare services. This review aims to discuss the impact of the disease and general factors that impact healthcare seeking behavior in OCD. In this way, new information might be provided for the identification of targets to enhance the use of mental health services among OCD sufferers in the community.