Patterns and barriers of mental health service utilization among medical students: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of mental health problems among medical students has been steadily rising. It is greater than the prevalence of mental health problems among other students, negatively impacting students, and their future careers. The study aims to estimate the prevalence of the self-reported need for mental health care, the pattern of utilization of mental health services, and the different barriers that hinder medical students from seeking professional help. RESULTS: This study was conducted among medical students at Mansoura University, using a structured self-reported online questionnaire to collect the need for mental health services, sociodemographic details, the pattern of utilization of mental health services, and the barriers using a Likert scale of 30 items named Barriers to Access to Care Evaluation Version 3. According to this study, 77.77% felt the need for mental health care. The independent predictors for feeling the need for mental health care were female sex and urban residence with an adjusted odds ratio of 2.7 and 1.9, respectively. Regarding mental healthcare needs, most of the barriers were instrumental and attitudinal related. Lack of information about how to access services and solve the problem by themselves was the most common barriers followed by time and financial affords. CONCLUSIONS: It appears that Mansoura medical students are at higher risk of feeling the need for mental care. Considerable barriers to help-seeking remain prevalent, including both logistical (e.g., time) and informational (e.g., lack of knowledge about the available services).