Effectiveness of a Brief Intervention to Increase Caregivers' Willingness to Seek Services

• Published in: Journal of rural mental health 2024-10, Vol.48 (4), p.241-246
• Main Authors: Fehr, Karla K., Leraas, Bethany C.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Behavioral Health Services; Caregivers; Female; Health Care Psychology; Health Care Seeking Behavior; Human; Male; Mental Health; Mental Health Stigma; Pediatrics; Rural Environments
• ISSN: 1935-942X; 2163-8969
• DOI: 10.1037/rmh0000271

Children with mental health concerns in rural settings are less likely than those in urban settings to receive treatment. Caregiver mental health stigma predicts willingness to seek services. Furthermore, reduced access to care in rural areas may result in limited exposure to and knowledge about the extent and benefits of behavioral health services. Thus, the present study tested a brief educational intervention to decrease stigma and increase willingness to seek services through improving caregiver knowledge and familiarity with behavioral health services. Caregivers (n = 64) of children in a rural pediatric primary care office were randomly assigned to the intervention or control. Caregivers who reviewed the educational information were more willing to seek services in a doctor's office, private practice, mental health center, and via videoconferencing. Across groups, caregivers were most willing to seek services from a private practice, doctor's office, and mental health center. Although there was a slight unwillingness to seek services via telehealth, almost half of the caregivers endorsed being willing to seek treatment in this modality. Caregivers reported that accessibility, information about the provider or service, general information about behavioral health services, and receiving a doctor's referral would increase comfort or ease of seeking services. Coupled with continued efforts to improve access to behavioral health care for youth in rural areas, this brief intervention is promising and could be easily disseminated. Public Health Significance Statement This study found that caregivers who reviewed a brief educational intervention targeting parent knowledge and familiarity with behavioral health services for children were more willing to seek mental health services in a doctor's office, private practice, mental health center, and via videoconferencing than caregivers who did not receive the information. Given disparities in access to and use of behavioral health services in rural areas, a universal educational intervention targeting caregiver knowledge and familiarity is a resource-efficient way to increase service utilization for rural youth.