Barriers to Seeking Psychological Help among First-Year Medical Students: A Cross- Sectional Study from Turkey

Despite high rates of psychological symptoms, many medical students often avoid psychological help. Determining the mental status of medical students at an early stage is very important for developing necessary interventions. The aim of this study was to evaluate the barriers to seeking psychological help among first-year medical students. This cross-sectional study was conducted between January 2-20, 2023. Data were collected using an anonymous online questionnaire comprising students' self-reported psychological problems and treatment status, help-seeking barriers, and a validated mental health tool (Patient Health Survey 4). The response rate was 58.8% (n = 250). Of them, 34.4% had anxiety symptoms and 25.2% had depressive symptoms. The prevalence of self-reported psychological problems and serious psychological problems were 61.2% and 10.4%, respectively. Only 7.6% of students reported receiving psychological treatment. It was found that 5.6% of the students used psychiatric drugs (2% officially prescribed and 3.6% not officially prescribed). The most common barriers to help-seeking were not were not serious problems, lack of time, difficulty explaining psychological problems, fear of being recorded, and fear of stigmatization. The results indicated that a significant number of students had psychological problems, and some did not seek psychological help.