Prevalence of Mental Health Stigma, Help-Seeking Behaviors, and Barriers to Seeking Assistance: A CERA Study of Family Physician Educators.

Abstract

Mental health stigma remains prevalent in clinical practice, affecting even family physicians. Despite serving as frontline mental health providers, family physicians also face stigma and barriers to seeking care. Drawing on 2024 Council of Academic Family Medicine Educational Research Alliance study data, this study investigates family physician educators' perceptions of stigma, their help-seeking intentions, and the obstacles they encounter when pursuing mental health support. This cross-sectional study drew responses from a 2024 survey of family medicine educators and practicing physicians between October 15 and November 22, 2024. Out of the initial pool of 4,844 participants completing the survey, our sample included 1,195 respondents. One-way analysis of variance and simple linear regression were performed in Stata 14.0 to test our hypotheses rigorously. Bivariate analyses identified statistically significant associations across five key relationships: years since degree completion and stigma score, age and stigma score, race and barriers to care, underrepresented in medicine status and barriers to care, and gender and barriers to care. Furthermore, linear regression models demonstrated that all three stigma categories (personal, perceived, and stigma of others) were significantly linked to higher barrier scores. These findings underscore the pervasive nature of mental health stigma among family physicians, highlighting its detrimental impact on help-seeking and well-being. Targeted interventions are crucial for reducing stigma, addressing barriers to care, and protecting physicians' mental health, ultimately improving patient outcomes.