An Ecological Study of a Universal Employee Depression Awareness and Stigma Reduction Intervention: "Right Direction"

Area of Science:

• Occupational health
• Mental health services research
• Public health interventions

Background:

• Employee wellness programs aim to improve mental health awareness and reduce stigma.
• The Right Direction (RD) program was implemented at Kent State University (KSU) in 2014.
• Understanding the impact of such programs on mental health care utilization is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore changes in mental health care utilization among KSU employees before and after the RD program implementation.
• To assess the impact of the RD program on help-seeking behaviors for depression and anxiety.

Main Methods:

• A pre-post study design was employed using KSU Human Resources census and service use data.
• Generalized linear mixed models and logistic regression analyzed changes in mental health utilization.
• Outcomes were compared across three post-intervention periods versus the pre-intervention baseline, adjusting for age and sex.

Main Results:

• Seeking treatment for depression and anxiety increased initially post-RD (OR = 2.14), then declined.
• Outpatient psychiatric treatment utilization significantly increased in the first two post-intervention periods (ORs 1.89, 1.75).
• Antidepressant prescriptions rose in the second and third post-intervention periods (ORs 2.25, 2.16), unlike anxiolytics.

Conclusions:

• The RD program showed initial positive effects on mental health care utilization.
• Sustained or enhanced effects may depend on long-term strategies like mindfulness and stress management workshops.
• Further research into long-term impacts and optimal program components is warranted.