Mental Health Literacy and Professional Psychological Help-Seeking Attitudes Among Primary Healthcare Workers: The Mediating Role of Social Support and Mental Illness Stigma.

Abstract

Background: Research highlights poor mental health among healthcare workers, but limited attention has been given to the mental health literacy and professional psychological help-seeking attitudes of primary healthcare workers.This study investigates the relationship between primary healthcare workers' mental health literacy and their attitudes toward professional psychological help-seeking. It also explores the chain mediating roles of social support and mental illness stigma in this relationship.

Methods: We conducted the study among primary healthcare workers in Shapingba District, Chongqing, China. The study utilized demographic questionnaires, the Multiple Mental Health Literacy Scale, Social Support Rating Scale, Perceived Devaluation-Discrimination Scale, and Attitudes Toward Seeking Professional Psychological Help Scale. We applied Pearson correlation, multiple linear regression, and structural equation modeling (SEM) for data analysis.

Results: Correlation analysis revealed positive associations between mental health literacy and help-seeking attitudes, while stigma negatively impacted these attitudes. The regression analysis demonstrated that mental health literacy, social support, and mental illness stigma significantly influenced attitudes toward professional psychological help-seeking, with the adjusted R square being 0.402. Specifically, social support and stigma acted as partial mediators in the relationship between mental health literacy and help-seeking attitudes. SEM confirmed a significant chain mediation effect, with social support and stigma jointly mediating the link between mental health literacy and help-seeking attitudes, explaining 27.46% of the variance.

Conclusion: This study underscores the critical role of mental health literacy, social support, and mental illness stigma in shaping primary healthcare workers' attitudes toward professional psychological help-seeking. Strengthening these factors can enhance their mental health outcomes and encourage more proactive help-seeking behavior. Implementing targeted interventions in training programs to reduce stigma and promote social support could improve help-seeking behaviors and overall mental health within healthcare settings.