Barriers and facilitators on the pathway to mental health care among 12-25 year olds

This study, published in the International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-being (August 2021), explored what helps or holds young people back when they seek support for their mental health. It’s the first qualitative study within @ease in which young people describe their own journey of asking for help.

Key data

• Publication: August 2021
• Authors: Sophie M.J. Leijdesdorff, Rianne M.C. Klaassen, Denise Wairata, Stefanie Rosema, Thérèse A.M.J. van Amelsvoort, Arne Popma
• Institutions: Maastricht University, Amsterdam UMC, @ease foundation
• Journal: International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-being

Summary

Background: Many young people with mental struggles don’t ask for help, or only do so late.
To lower the barriers to care, we need to understand what it’s like for them. This qualitative study puts their stories front and centre.

Goal: To gain insight into how young people experience the path to mental health care, including obstacles and suggestions for improvement.

Method

Open interviews with 15 young people (ages 12–25) who attended an @ease drop-in center. The interviews were analyzed thematically.

Results

Four main themes emerged:

1. Attitude towards mental health issues and seeking help
   • Young people often try to resolve complaints themselves first
   • Shame and fear of stigmatization are major obstacles
   • Uncertainty about whether their problems are ‘bad enough’ for help
2. Access to care
   • Unfamiliarity with where to go
   • Long waiting times, complex procedures and confusion about costs
   • The GP acts as a barrier; young people do not always feel heard
3. Experiences in healthcare
   • Positive: personal approach, involvement, permanent practitioner
   • Negative: aloofness, many changes, standard processes
4. Suggestions from young people
   • More openness about mental health issues
   • More accessible and transparent information about aid
   • Low-threshold places like @ease
   • More personal and tailor-made care

Conclusion

Young people often delay seeking help because of shame or simply not knowing where to turn. And even when they do ask for support, they often run into new barriers.
Their experiences show why we need mental health care that’s accessible, flexible, and truly connected to the world young people live in.

Want to know more? Read this summary in plain language.
Want to know everything? Read or download the full publication below. The study was published in 2021 in the International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-being.