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Open Access 01-12-2022 | Psychotherapy | Research

Workforce situation of the Chinese mental health care system: results from a cross-sectional study

Authors: Jing-Li Yue, Na Li, Jian-Yu Que, Si-Fan Hu, Na-Na Xiong, Jia-Hui Deng, Ning Ma, Si-Wei Sun, Rui Chi, Jie Shi, Hong-Qiang Sun

Published in: BMC Psychiatry | Issue 1/2022

Abstract

Background

High-quality mental health services can improve outcomes for people with mental health problems and abate the burden of mental disorders. We sought to identify the challenges the country’s mental health system currently faces and the human resource situation related to psychological services and to provide recommendations on how the mental health workforce situation could be addressed in China.

Methods

This study used a cross-sectional survey design. A web-based questionnaire approach and a convenience sampling method were adopted. It was carried out from September 2020 to January 2021 in China, and we finally included 3824 participants in the analysis. Descriptive statistical analysis of the characteristics of the study sample was performed. The risk factors for competence in psychological counseling/psychotherapy were assessed using multiple linear regression analysis.

Results

Workforce related to psychotherapy is scarce in China, especially in Western China and community mental health sectors. Psychiatrists (39.1%) and nurses (38.9%) were the main service providers of psychotherapy in psychiatric hospitals, and clinical psychologists (6.9%) and counsellors (5.0%) were seriously scarce in mental health care sectors. A total of 74.2% of respondents had no systematic psychological training, and 68.4 and 69.2% of them had no self-experience and professional supervision, respectively. Compared with clinical psychologists and counselors, psychiatrists and nurses had less training. Systematic psychological training (β = − 0.88), self-experience (β = − 0.59) and professional supervision (β = − 1.26) significantly influenced psychotherapy capacity (P<0.001).

Conclusions

Sustained effort will be required to provide a high-quality, equitably distributed psychotherapy workforce in China, despite challenges for community mental health sectors and western China being likely to continue for some time. Because mental illness is implicated in so many burgeoning social ills, addressing this shortfall could have wide-ranging benefits.

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Title: Workforce situation of the Chinese mental health care system: results from a cross-sectional study
Authors: Jing-Li Yue
Na Li
Jian-Yu Que
Si-Fan Hu
Na-Na Xiong
Jia-Hui Deng
Ning Ma
Si-Wei Sun
Rui Chi
Jie Shi
Hong-Qiang Sun
Publication date: 01-12-2022
Publisher: BioMed Central
Keywords: Psychotherapy
Care
Published in: BMC Psychiatry / Issue 1/2022
Electronic ISSN: 1471-244X
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-022-04204-7

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Workforce situation of the Chinese mental health care system: results from a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

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