Mental health services use among adults with or without mental disorders: Do development stages matter?
BACKGROUND
Mental health services (MHS) use is a complex behaviour that does not only concern individuals with current mental disorder. To date, few studies have examined age-related contextualisation of MHS use. Reasons for seeking help may vary according to development stages in adulthood.


AIMS
This study aimed to determine which predisposing, enabling and need factors, using Andersen's model, were associated with MHS use according to adult development stages among individuals with or without current psychiatric diagnosis.


METHODS
Three age groups were examined: 18- to 29-year-olds (n = 775), 30- to 49-year-olds (n = 1,560) and 50- to 64-year-olds (n = 960). Data were obtained from the Montreal Longitudinal Catchment Area Study. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted for each age group separately to determine which predisposing, enabling and need factors were associated with MHS use in the past 12 months.


RESULTS
For 18- to 29-year-olds, one enabling factor (Internet search) and two need factors (presence of major depressive disorder and number of stressful events) were positively associated with MHS use. For 30- to 49-year-olds, one predisposing factor (family history of mental disorder), four enabling factors (not currently working or in school, perceiving neighbourhood disorder, social cohesion and Internet searching) and one need factor (major depressive disorder) correlated with help seeking. For 50- to 64-year-olds, two predisposing factors (family history of mental disorder and higher self-perceived stigma), two enabling factors (low satisfaction in personal relationship and Internet searching) and one need factor (alcohol dependence) were associated with MHS use.


CONCLUSIONS
Factors associated with MHS use differ according to adult development stages. Programmes and policies should be based on age-related contextualisation to increase MHS use.
['Huỳnh|Christophe|C|', 'Caron|Jean|J|', 'Fleury|Marie-Josée|MJ|']
D000293:Adolescent D000328:Adult D017677:Age Distribution D005260:Female D000066505:Help-Seeking Behavior D006801:Humans D016015:Logistic Models D008297:Male D001523:Mental Disorders D008603:Mental Health D008605:Mental Health Services D008875:Middle Aged D015999:Multivariate Analysis D011792:Quebec D017678:Sex Distribution D055815:Young Adult
mental health development Andersen’s model Service utilisation emerging adulthood middle adulthood