Who experiences unmet need for mental health services and what other barriers to accessing health care do they face? F indings from A ustralia and C anada
Abstract
Summary: Purpose: To examine factors associated with unmet need for mental health services and links with barriers to access to care more broadly. Methodology: The Commonwealth Fund International Health Policy Surveys from 2013 and 2016 were used to explore factors associated with unmet need for adults who experienced emotional distress for 1320 respondents in Australia and 2284 in Canada. Findings: Over one in five adults in Australia (21%) and in Canada (25%) experienced emotional distress, just over half said they received professional help (51% in Australia, 59% in Canada). The majority of those who did not get help indicated did not want to see a professional (37% in Australia, 30% in Canada). For those who did seek help, the factors associated with not receiving care included lower income, higher out‐of‐pocket health care costs, and poorer health. When compared with people with met needs, those with unmet needs for mental health services were more likely to also experience affordability, medication, and trust‐related access barriers (AOR range 2.41 to 7.49 for the two countries, P < 0.01). Conclusion: Including unmet needs for mental health services as part of regular reporting on access to care may bring attention to access barriers for people with mental health conditions.
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Barriers to delivering psychological care in the time following injury have been reported, including the potential limited availability of mental healthcare providers.
“However, barriers to delivering psychological care in the time following injury have been reported, including the potential limited availability of mental healthcare providers.17 18”
From Impact of healthcare interventions on distress following acute musculoskeletal/orthopaedic injury: A scoping review of systematic reviews (2024) · cites this paper as [17]
Limited access to psychology services has been described as a barrier to treatment in some settings, including for those with low income, in rural locations or with a disability.
“Limited access to psychology services has been described as a barrier to treatment in some settings, including for those with low income, in rural locations or with a disability.17 18”
From Impact of healthcare interventions on distress following acute musculoskeletal/orthopaedic injury: A scoping review of systematic reviews (2024) · cites this paper as [17]
National data from Australia and Canada indicate a little over half of the people who experienced emotional distress in 2013 and 2016 received treatment; however, many people (37% in Australia and 30% in Canada) reported that they did not want treatment.
“Furthermore, national data from Australia and Canada indicate a little over half of the people who experienced emotional distress in 2013 and 2016 received treatment; however, many people (37% in Australia and 30% in Canada) reported that they did not want treatment [11].”
From Explaining adults’ mental health help-seeking through the lens of the theory of planned behavior: A scoping review (2022) · cites this paper as [11]
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- Authors
- Corscadden, L., Callander, E. J., & Topp, S. M.
- Affiliations
- Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine (AU)
- James Cook University (AU)
- Corresponding author
- Corscadden, Lisa
- Venue
- The International Journal of Health Planning and Management
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2019-01-18
- Volume
- 34
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 761-772
- ISSN
- 0749-6753 (ISSN-L)
- 1099-1751
- OpenAlex
- W2910357614
- Cited by
- 44
- References
- 33
- Citations by year
- 2025: 7 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 14 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 1
- FWCI
- 6.91
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- The International Journal of Health Planning and Management (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- ResearchOnline - JCU (James Cook University) (submittedVersion)
- Griffith Research Online (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- James Cook University
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Mental Health Treatment and Access
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychiatric care and mental health services
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Migration, Health and Trauma
- Keywords
- barriers to mental health care, emotional distress, help-seeking, out-of-pocket health care costs, income, access to medicines, trust in healthcare, access to mental health care, Australia, Canada
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Australia, Mental Disorders, Canada, Female, Health Services Accessibility, Health Services Needs and Demand, Health Surveys, Humans, Male, Mental Health Services, Middle Aged, Young Adult
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