Understanding the Help Seeking Behavior of Accra Polytechnic Students: A qualitative approach

Abstract

The aim of this study was to explore the barriers to seeking mental health care and to find out if help seeking behavior could be improved.  Six focus group discussions were held using three groups of students from Accra Polytechnic.  Themes emerging from the study indicated that facilitators and barriers to care included factors related to trusted and established relationships, the characteristics of the service provider/psychotherapist, accessibility issues, the characteristics of the condition for which help is being sought for, the characteristics of the person seeking help and other social and economic issues. The study also indicated that strategies like psycho-educational campaigns, outreach programs, the distribution of fliers, making working hours flexible and the use of hot line services could be utilized to promote help seeking behavior. The implications, limitations and recommendations of the study and areas for future research are also discussed in the write up.

Keywords: Help seeking behavior, Accra Polytechnic, students, qualitative approach, help seeking model, help seeking pathways, focus group discussion, triangulation, interviews, intervention.