Table 3 Barriers to receiving professional mental health care among students with mental distress who have not received mental care in the past three months (n = 239)
Barriers to Mental Health Care | Mental Distress who did not receive professional mental health treatment (N = 239) | Total (N) | Item Mean and (SD) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Barrier to any degree % (n) | Major barrier % (n) | |||
Stigma-related barriers | ||||
Concern about what my family might think, say, do or feel | 48.1 (115) | 18.4 (44) | 239 | 0.98 (1.18) |
Concern that I might be seen as weak for having a mental health problem | 38.9 (93) | 14.2 (34) | 239 | 0.76 (1.10) |
Feeling embarrassed or ashamed | 29.8 (71) | 10.9 (26) | 239 | 0.58 (1.01) |
Concern that I might be seen as ‘crazy’ | 31.9 (76) | 10.5 (25) | 239 | 0.61 (1.02) |
Not wanting a mental health problem to be on my medical records | 26.0 (62) | 8.4 (20) | 239 | 0.50 (0.95) |
Concern that people might not take me seriously if they found out I was having professional care | 28.0 (67) | 7.1 (17) | 239 | 0.51 (0.93) |
Concern that people I know might find out | 28.4 (68) | 6.7 (16) | 239 | 0.47 (0.87) |
Concern about what my friends might think, say or do | 33.5 (80) | 6.7 (16) | 239 | 0.56 (0.92) |
Concern about what students might think, say or do | 31.4 (75) | 6.3 (15) | 239 | 0.53 (0.90) |
Attitudinal-related barriers | ||||
Thinking I did not have a problem | 67.4 (161) | 38.1 (91) | 239 | 1.59 (1.29) |
Thinking the problem would get better by itself | 74.4 (178) | 36.8 (88) | 239 | 1.65 (1.22) |
Preferring to get alternative forms of care | 66.5 (159) | 34.3 (82) | 239 | 1.51 (1.27) |
Wanting to solve the problem on my own | 71.1 (170) | 28.0 (67) | 239 | 1.50 (1.18) |
Preferring to get help from family or friends | 58.6 (140) | 22.2 (53) | 239 | 1.20 (1.20) |
Dislike of talking about my feelings, emotions or thoughts | 38.0 (91) | 9.6 (23) | 239 | 0.69 (1.02) |
Concerns about the treatments available (e.g. medication side effects) | 36.8 (88) | 9.6 (23) | 239 | 0.65 (1.01) |
Thinking that professional care probably would not help | 30.9 (74) | 7.5 (18) | 239 | 0.54 (0.93) |
Fear of being put in hospital against my will | 21.4 (51) | 7.1 (17) | 239 | 0.41 (0.89) |
Having had previous bad experiences with professional care for mental health | 16.7 (40) | 4.6 (11) | 239 | 0.30 (0.76) |
Instrumental-related barriers | ||||
Not being able to afford the financial costs involved | 56.0 (134) | 25.5 (61) | 239 | 1.23 (1.25) |
Having no one who could help me get professional care | 59.8 (143) | 24.7 (59) | 239 | 1.26 (1.22) |
Being unsure where to go to get professional care | 71.6 (171) | 21.0 (51) | 239 | 1.36 (1.11) |
Difficulty taking time off education | 55.2 (132) | 17.6 (42) | 239 | 1.10 (1.16) |
Problems with transport or travelling to appointments | 44.4 (106) | 17.6 (42) | 239 | 0.92 (1.18) |
Being too unwell to ask for help | 51.9 (124) | 14.6 (35) | 239 | 0.96 (1.11) |
Professionals from my own ethnic or cultural group not being available | 26.4 (63) | 6.7 (16) | 239 | 0.47 (0.89) |