Does Help Seeking Behavior Change Over Time Following a Workplace Mental Health Intervention in the Coal Mining Industry?

Abstract

To investigate help seeking behavior and attitudes to mental health in mining employees. A pre-post survey study of employees from two Australian coal mines. Data were collected prior to, at baseline, at 6 and 18 months following delivery of the MATES in mining (MIM) peer support mental health intervention. Help seeking behaviors increased, with participants' sex, age, relationship status, shift type, and psychological distress significantly associated with likelihood of seeking help (P <0.05). In relation to stigma, significantly more participants' disagreed that they would be treated differently by friends or colleagues following disclosure of mental illness (P < 0.01). Results provide an understanding of help seeking behaviors of mining employees; support the MATES in Mining peer support program in the men dominated industry and provide information to guide mental health workplace program development more broadly.