Correlates of a perceived need for mental health assistance and differences between those who do and do not seek help

This study examined prevalence of perceived need for mental health assistance, characteristics of people with a perceived need, and how persons with a need who sought help were different from those who did not.

A national random phone survey (n = 1,394) was conducted in Israel, which included questions about (1) perceived need for mental health assistance and (2) help seeking.

Prevalence of life-time and recent perceived need for males was 21% and 10.7%, and for females 31% and 15.1%. Of those with a perceived need, 31.4% of males and 41.6% of females had gone for help. Based on logistic regression models, the variables associated with need were being female, divorced, having a chronic physical disease, and low income (for males only), while predictors of help seeking were living in a big city and not being a recent immigrant. The major sources of help in descending order were: mental health professionals (46%), family physician (25%), family or friends (19%), and other (10%).

A majority of people who feel that they need help for mental health problems do not get help.