Barriers to Mental Health Service Use Among Workers With Depression and Work Productivity

OBJECTIVE: This article estimates the decrease in workplace productivity losses associated with removal of three types of barriers to mental health service use among workers with depression. METHODS: A model of productivity losses based on the results of a population-based survey of Canadian workers was used to estimate the impact of three types of barriers to mental health service use among workers with depression. RESULTS: Removing the service need recognition barrier is associated with a 33% decrease in work productivity losses. There is a 49% decrease when all three barriers are removed. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest recognizing the need for treatment is only one barrier to service use; attitudinal and structural barriers should also be considered. The greatest decrease in productivity losses is observed with the removal of all three barriers.