U.K. Army medical and unit welfare officers' perceptions of mental health stigma and its impact on army personnel's mental health help seeking

Keeling, Mary; Bull, Samantha; Thandi, Gursimran; Brooks, Samantha; Greenberg, Neil

Abstract

Mental health stigma and barriers to care (BTC) reportedly impede help seeking among U.K. military personnel. Military service providers’ perceptions of this link were investigated. Secondary thematic analysis of interviews with 21 U.K. Army unit welfare and medical officers led to three master themes: military culture, barriers to care, and stigma alleviation success. It was perceived that military culture and associated stoicism create beliefs surrounding legitimacy of mental health problems, confidentiality, and career concerns that affect help seeking. Decreased stigma was perceived and attributed to current stigma reduction interventions. Recommendations for education based stigma reduction methods are made.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Mar 28, 2017
• Online Publication Date: Apr 14, 2017
• Publication Date: Apr 14, 2017
• Deposit Date: Dec 17, 2018
• Publicly Available Date: Dec 17, 2018
• Journal: Military Behavioral Health
• Print ISSN: 2163-5781
• Electronic ISSN: 2163-5803
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis (Routledge)
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 5
• Issue: 3
• Pages: 245-253
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/21635781.2017.1310682
• Keywords: mental health stigma, mental health help seeking, military mental health, visible difference
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/897770
• Publisher URL: http://doi.org/10.1080/21635781.2017.1310682
• Additional Information: Additional Information : This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Military Behavioral Health on 14th April 2017, available online: http://doi.org/10.1080/21635781.2017.1310682.
• Contract Date: Dec 17, 2018