The DOI matches its Crossref record; 42 of the 42 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Age, gender, and the underutilization of mental health services: The influence of help-seeking attitudes
Abstract
The objectives of this study were to explore age and gender differences in attitudes toward seeking professional psychological help, and to examine whether attitudes negatively influence intentions to seek help among older adults and men, whose mental health needs are underserved. To achieve these objectives 206 community-dwelling adults completed questionnaires measuring help-seeking attitudes, psychiatric symptomatology, prior help-seeking, and intentions to seek help. Older age and female gender were associated with more positive help-seeking attitudes in this sample, although age and gender interacted with marital status and education, and had varying influences on different attitude components. Age and gender also influenced intentions to seek professional psychological help. Women exhibited more favourable intentions to seek help from mental health professionals than men, likely due to their positive attitudes concerning psychological openness. Older adults exhibited more favourable intentions to seek help from primary care physicians than younger adults, a finding that was not explained by age differences in attitudes. Results from this study suggest that negative attitudes related to psychological openness might contribute to men's underutilization of mental health services. Help-seeking attitudes do not appear to be a barrier to seeking professional help among older adults, although their intentions to visit primary care physicians might be. These findings suggest the need for education to improve men's help-seeking attitudes and to enhance older adults' willingness to seek specialty mental health services.
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In the citing paper
“Men are rarely socialized to be open about their emotional troubles; which in turn was found to contribute to their underutilization of mental health services (Mackenzie, Gekoski, Knox, 2006).”
From The Disclosure Experiences of Male Child Sexual Abuse Survivors (2016) · cites this paper as Mackenzie, Gekoski, Knox, 2006
In the citing paper
“Compared to women, men are less likely to seek help for mental health difficulties.”
From Improving Mental Health Service Utilization Among Men: A Systematic Review and Synthesis of Behavior Change Techniques Within Interventions Targeting Help-Seeking (2019) · cites this paper as Mackenzie, Gekoski, & Knox, 2006
In the citing paper
“Although help-seeking is consistently reported to be worse in males (Mackenzie et al., 2006), the identified techniques in this review should be interpreted cautiously.”
From Improving Mental Health Service Utilization Among Men: A Systematic Review and Synthesis of Behavior Change Techniques Within Interventions Targeting Help-Seeking (2019) · cites this paper as Mackenzie et al., 2006
In the citing paper
“Although help-seeking is consistently reported to be worse in males (Mackenzie et al., 2006), the identified techniques in this review should be interpreted cautiously.”
From Improving Mental Health Service Utilization Among Men: A Systematic Review and Synthesis of Behavior Change Techniques Within Interventions Targeting Help-Seeking (2019) · cites this paper as Mackenzie et al., 2006
In the citing paper
“Low educational status might be associated with low rates of help-seeking because educated individuals are more informed and knowledgeable about illnesses and the healthcare system”
From A systematic review of the factors associated with delays in medical and psychological help-seeking among men (2015) · cites this paper as Mackenzie, Gekoski, & Knox, 2006
In the citing paper
“The reason why younger men seek less help may partly be an artefact of their lower levels of illness, and partly due to the fact that their vitality and masculinity is more important to them”
From A systematic review of the factors associated with delays in medical and psychological help-seeking among men (2015) · cites this paper as Mackenzie, Gekoski, & Knox, 2006
In the citing paper
“Young men are known to hold more negative attitudes towards help-seeking for mental health issues than young women [5], due in part to lower levels of openness to acknowledging psychological problems [6].”
From Silence is deadly: a cluster-randomised controlled trial of a mental health help-seeking intervention for young men (2017) · cites this paper as [6]
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Background
Metadata
- Authors
- Mackenzie, C. S., Gekoski, W. L., & Knox, V. J.
- Affiliations
- Queen's University (CA)
- Corresponding author
- Mackenzie, C. S.
- ORCID
- Mackenzie, C. S.
- Venue
- Aging & Mental Health
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2006-11
- Volume
- 10
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 574-582
- ISSN
- 1360-7863 (ISSN-L)
- 1364-6915
- OpenAlex
- W2014172961
- Semantic Scholar
- d232506e2297dea5f6d1729b555e7bd93577103f
- Cited by
- 878
- References
- 42
- Citations by year
- 2026: 48 · 2025: 51 · 2024: 75 · 2023: 79 · 2022: 71 · 2021: 63 · 2020: 60 · 2019: 69 · 2018: 51 · 2017: 48 · 2016: 40 · 2015: 48 · 2014: 40 · 2013: 36 · 2012: 29
- FWCI
- 13.83
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Aging & Mental Health (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Mental Health Treatment and Access
- Social Sciences › Gender Studies › Gender Roles and Identity Studies
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychology and Mental Health
- Keywords
- help-seeking attitudes, mental health service utilization, underutilization of mental health services, age differences, gender differences, older adults, men, help-seeking intentions, open-mindedness, primary care mental health, psychiatric symptoms, help-seeking barriers
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Age Factors, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Mental Disorders, Demography, Educational Status, Female, Humans, Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice, Male, Mental Health Services, Middle Aged, Ontario, Patient Acceptance of Health Care, Personality Inventory, Surveys and Questionnaires, Regression Analysis, Sex Factors, Marital Status
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