Abstract
BackgroundDepression and anxiety disorder contribute to a significant part of the disease burden among men, yet many men refrain from seeking care or receive insufficient care when they do seek it. This is plausibly associated with poorer mental well-being, but there is a lack of population-based research. This study investigated 1) if men who had refrained from seeking mental healthcare at any time in life had poorer mental well-being than those who sought care, 2) if those who had sought care but perceived it as insufficient had poorer mental well-being than those who had perceived care as sufficient, and 3) if these differences persisted after 1 year.MethodsThis longitudinal study used questionnaire data from a population-based sample of 1240 men, aged 19–64 years, in Sweden. Having refrained from seeking mental healthcare, or perceiving the care as insufficient, at any time in life, was assessed in a questionnaire, 2008. Current mental well-being was assessed in 2008 and 2009 using mean scores on the WHO (Ten) Well-being Index. Lower scores indicate poorer mental well-being. Group differences were calculated using t-tests and multivariable linear regression analysis.ResultsOf the men who had perceived a need for mental healthcare, 37% had refrained from seeking such care. They had lower mental well-being scores in 2008, compared to those who sought care. Of those seeking care, 29% had perceived it as insufficient. They had lower mental well-being scores in 2008, compared to those who perceived the care as sufficient, but this was not statistically significant when controlling for potential confounders. There were no differences in mental well-being scores based on care-seeking or perceived care-sufficiency in 2009.ConclusionsThis population-based study indicates that men who have previously refrained from seeking mental healthcare, or perceived the care as insufficient, have poorer mental well-being. However, the lack of differences at the one-year follow-up contradicts these results. The results highlight the need for larger longitudinal studies, measuring care-seeking within a more specified time frame. This should be combined with efforts to increase men’s mental healthcare-seeking and to provide mental healthcare that is perceived as sufficient.
Highlights
Common mental disorders such as depression and anxiety disorders have a high prevalence [1], and account for 4% of the disease burden among men aged 15–49 years in Western Europe, according to the Global Burden of Disease Study [2]
The multivariable linear regression analyses showed a statistically significant association between being an insufficient care-perceiver and having lower mental wellbeing scores at time 1 (T1), in the fully adjusted model adding health variables, in contrast to the results above (Model 2, B = -1.91, 95% CI − 3.71 to − 0.10, see Additional file 4). This is the first longitudinal study on a population-based sample of men in Sweden investigating the hypotheses that men who have previously refrained from seeking mental healthcare, or perceived the care as insufficient when seeking it, have poorer mental well-being than men who sought care and perceived it as sufficient
Our hypotheses were only partially supported: We found 1) poorer mental well-being among non-care-seekers at T1, 2) an indication of poorer mental well-being among insufficient-care-perceivers at T1, but 3) no statistically significant differences at time 2 (T2)
Summary
Common mental disorders such as depression and anxiety disorders have a high prevalence [1], and account for 4% of the disease burden among men aged 15–49 years in Western Europe, according to the Global Burden of Disease Study [2]. If untreated, these disorders are often longstanding, recurrent, and have a detrimental effect on individual function and productivity [3,4,5]. Depression and anxiety disorder contribute to a significant part of the disease burden among men, yet many men refrain from seeking care or receive insufficient care when they do seek it This is plausibly associated with poorer mental well-being, but there is a lack of population-based research. This study investigated 1) if men who had refrained from seeking mental healthcare at any time in life had poorer mental well-being than those who sought care, 2) if those who had sought care but perceived it as insufficient had poorer mental wellbeing than those who had perceived care as sufficient, and 3) if these differences persisted after 1 year
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
