An Examination of Barriers to Accessing Mental Health Care, and Their Association with Depression, Stress, Suicidal Ideation, and Wellness in a Bangladeshi University Student Sample

Background: The mental health burden is high and rising among Bangladeshi university students. Understanding barriers to mental healthcare and how barriers impact mental health outcomes may inform the development of targeted interventions to decrease barriers and improve access to care. Aims: This study identifies barriers to mental healthcare and their association with mental health outcomes in a Bangladeshi university student sample. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey (n = 350) on stigma-related, attitudinal, and instrumental barriers to accessing mental healthcare among Bangladeshi university students. We examined the association between stigma and non-stigma (i.e., attitudinal and instrumental) barriers with four mental health outcomes: suicidal ideation, depression, high perceived stress, and wellness. Results: Attitudinal barriers were the most reported barriers. Stigma-related barriers were significant for individuals who had experienced suicidal ideation (aOR = 2.97, p = 0.001), not for individuals with depression. Non-stigma-related barriers were significant for individuals who had experienced depression (aOR = 2.80, p = 0.011). Conclusions: The current work advances our understanding of how to improve access to mental healthcare among university students in Bangladesh. Stigma-related barriers were particularly salient for individuals who experienced suicidal ideation. Further study is needed on how stigma may impact access to care distinctly for different mental health problems among Bangladeshi university students.