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

PURPOSE: The mismatch between the number of young people that require mental health care and who actually receive it, questions access to care. This study aims to gain in-depth understanding of barriers and facilitators in the pathway to mental health care among 12 to 25 year olds as experienced by visitors of youth walk-in centres of the Dutch @ease Foundation. METHODS: Open interviews were conducted to explore participants’ experiences and attitudes towards mental health care. Following inductive thematic analysis, barriers and facilitators in participants’ pathways towards care were described. RESULTS: Fifteen participants were included, heterogenic with regard to age, sex and nationality. Three main themes in the process of seeking help were ‘attitudes towards mental health problems and seeking help’, ‘entrance to care’ and ‘in care itself’. A fourth theme consisted of suggestions for improvement. CONCLUSION: Negative attitudes towards mental health problems make young people to only seek help when problems begin to escalate. The lack of knowledge about mental health problems, treatment options and costs asks for more awareness and clear information. Updates about waiting lists and alternative options, informal settings with walk-in options and personalized care are feasible and crucial improvements to decrease the individual and societal burden.