Barriers to Mental Health Service Use Among Workers With Depression and Work Productivity.

Abstract

This article estimates the decrease in workplace productivity losses associated with removal of three types of barriers to mental health service use among workers with depression. A model of productivity losses based on the results of a population-based survey of Canadian workers was used to estimate the impact of three types of barriers to mental health service use among workers with depression. Removing the service need recognition barrier is associated with a 33% decrease in work productivity losses. There is a 49% decrease when all three barriers are removed. Our results suggest recognizing the need for treatment is only one barrier to service use; attitudinal and structural barriers should also be considered. The greatest decrease in productivity losses is observed with the removal of all three barriers.