Association between mental health-related stigma and active help-seeking: Systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

Mental disorders create high individual and societal costs and burden, partly because help-seeking is often delayed or completely avoided. Stigma related to mental disorders or mental health services is regarded as a main reason for insufficient help-seeking.To estimate the impact of four stigma types (help-seeking attitudes and personal, self and perceived public stigma) on active help-seeking in the general population.A systematic review of three electronic databases was followed by random effect meta-analyses according to the stigma types.Twenty-seven studies fulfilled eligibility criteria. Participants' own negative attitudes towards mental health help-seeking (OR = 0.80, 95% CI 0.73-0.88) and their stigmatising attitudes towards people with a mental illness (OR = 0.82, 95% CI 0.69-0.98) were associated with less active help-seeking. Self-stigma showed insignificant association (OR = 0.88, 95% CI 0.76-1.03), whereas perceived public stigma was not associated.Personal attitudes towards mental illness or help-seeking are associated with active help-seeking for mental problems. Campaigns promoting help-seeking and fighting mental illness-related stigma should target these personal attitudes rather than broad public opinion.

Participation and interest in support services among family caregivers of older adults with cancer

“…Although approximately one‐third of caregivers with high depression symptoms and who were underprepared and a nearly a half of those with anxiety symptoms reported that they were interested in receiving support services, approximately three‐quarters to a half did not express interest. This discrepancy between apparent need and interest in services was especially pronounced relative to receipt of “counseling and therapy.” This is likely in part due to several issues including a well‐documented stigma against mental health services, including among cancer family caregivers . Second, caregivers may feel guilty about focusing on their own needs believing that it is at the expense of patients' needs .…”

“…This discrepancy between apparent need and interest in services was especially pronounced relative to receipt of "counseling and therapy." This is likely in part due to several issues including a well-documented stigma against mental health services, 35 including among cancer family caregivers. 36 Second, caregivers may feel guilty about focusing on their own needs believing that it is at the expense of patients' needs.…”

Chronic Illness Stigma And Well-Being In Youth: The Mediating Role Of Support

“…Stigma has been previously associated with a number of adverse outcomes on different aspects of well-being and quality of life. One possible explanation is that individuals who experience stigma are less likely to seek professional help or support (Schnyder, Panczak, Groth, & Schultze-Lutter, 2017). This may contribute to accessing less resources that could ameliorate their physical or/and psychological well-being.…”

Pathways to specialist care for eating disorders: An Italian multicentre study

“…"Pathways to care" studies have long been shown to represent an effective and inexpensive method to characterize the help-seeking behaviour of those suffering from severe illnesses with longitudinal course in various fields of medicine (Campbell, Hotchkiss, Bradshaw, & Porteous, 1998;Rogler & Cortes, 1993). The evaluation of pathways to care in mental health is particularly necessary, also in consideration of the high level of stigma attached to mental illnesses and the difficulties that psychiatric patients experience when accessing psychiatric care (Thornicroft et al, 2009;Schnyder, Panczak, Groth, & Schultze-Lutter, 2017).…”