Too tough to ask for help? Stoicism and attitudes to mental health professionals in rural Australia
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Kõlves, K
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Introduction: Rural and remote Australia has long been recognised as an area with reduced help-seeking for mental health concerns and an increased suicide mortality. The current study aimed to investigate the differences between help-seeking intentions and predictors between different locations across Australia to better understand the barriers to seeking help for rural residents. Methods: An anonymous online survey measuring attitudes, stoicism, help-seeking intentions and demographics was conducted through various channels across Australia. Differences between locations and relationships between variables of interest were analysed using multiple regression and mediation analysis. Results: In total, 471 participants were included in the analysis, the majority residing in outer regional areas (37.4%), followed by inner regional areas (29.9%), major cities (18.3%), remote areas (12.3%) and very remote areas (2.1%). Location, along with attitudes and stoicism, were predictors of help-seeking. A novel mediation model revealed that attitudes partially mediated the association between stoicism and lower help-seeking intentions for both rural and urban participants. Conclusion: Findings from this study extend knowledge of what differentiates people who are willing from those who are not willing to seek help for a mental health concern or suicidal ideation, by their living location. The findings also suggest practical implications for clinical intervention and community prevention that could assist improving help-seeking for rural Australians in the future.
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Rural and remote health
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20
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2
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© The Author(s) 2020. The attached file is reproduced here in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher. Please refer to the journal's website for access to the definitive, published version.
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Subject
Nursing
Health services and systems
Public health
Specialist studies in education
Australia
help-seeking
mental health
stoicism
suicidal behaviour
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Kaukiainen, A; Kõlves, K, Too tough to ask for help? Stoicism and attitudes to mental health professionals in rural Australia, Rural and remote health, 2020, 20 (2)