Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41208364›Full record

ArticleBJPsych open2025

Evolving perceptions of treatment helpfulness across mental illnesses in Singapore: 8-year comparison using nationally representative samples.

Celeste Minn Tan, Eng Hong Tay, Shazana Shahwan, Yoke Boon Tan, Savita Gunasekaran, Bernard Chin Wee Tan, Wei Jie Ong, Weng Mooi Tan, Siow Ann Chong, Mythily Subramaniam

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BJPsych open, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Celeste Minn TanResearch Division, https://ror.org/04c07bj87Institute of Mental Health, Singapore.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0001-6603-8453
Eng Hong TayResearch Division, https://ror.org/04c07bj87Institute of Mental Health, Singapore.
Shazana ShahwanResearch Division, https://ror.org/04c07bj87Institute of Mental Health, Singapore.
Yoke Boon TanResearch Division, https://ror.org/04c07bj87Institute of Mental Health, Singapore.
Savita GunasekaranResearch Division, https://ror.org/04c07bj87Institute of Mental Health, Singapore.
Bernard Chin Wee TanResearch Division, https://ror.org/04c07bj87Institute of Mental Health, Singapore.
Wei Jie OngResearch Division, https://ror.org/04c07bj87Institute of Mental Health, Singapore.
Weng Mooi TanMinistry of Health Office for Healthcare Transformation, Singapore.
Siow Ann ChongResearch Division, https://ror.org/04c07bj87Institute of Mental Health, Singapore.
Mythily SubramaniamResearch Division, https://ror.org/04c07bj87Institute of Mental Health, Singapore.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSingapore conducted its second nationwide mental health literacy survey in 2023, following the first survey in 2015.

aimsThis study aimed to ascertain the population's beliefs about the helpfulness of treatments for mental illnesses in Singapore, and assessed changes over an 8-year period.

methodA nationally representative cohort (

resultsCounselling was most frequently rated as being helpful for alcohol use disorder (94.0%) and depression (95.2%), while seeing a psychiatrist was most frequently rated helpful for schizophrenia (93.0%), dementia (85.1%) and OCD (91.6%). Across all vignettes, informal help sources, including family (80.8%) and friends (74.7%), were considered less helpful than mental health professionals, except for 'counselling over the phone' (58.8%) and 'seeing a general practitioner' (69.8%). Participants in 2023 were significantly more likely to endorse psychologists, counsellors and phone counselling as being helpful than in 2015. Face-to-face help was considered more helpful than over-the-phone professional help, highlighting the continued need for a personal touch in mental health services.

conclusionsOverall, there has been an improvement in the perception of the helpfulness of mental health professionals, but targeted interventions to improve the perception of mental health services by general practitioners and institutions are essential.

Indexed as

help-seeking perceptionsmental health literacymental health servicespsychological treatmentsRegister-based epidemiology

Identifiers

PMID41208364
PMCPMC12641415

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.