Awareness of and willingness to access mental health support among UK serving and ex-serving military personnel who reported a mental health difficulty

TY - JOUR

T1 - Awareness of and willingness to access mental health support among UK serving and ex-serving military personnel who reported a mental health difficulty

AU - Mills, Amy

AU - Fear, Nicola

AU - Stevelink, Sharon

N1 - Funding Information: This article represents independent research funded by the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD). SAM Stevelink's salary is funded in part by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), Biomedical Research Centre at South London and Maudsley National Health Service (NHS) Foundation Trust, and King's College London. NT Fear reports grants from the U.S. Department of Defense and the UK MoD, is a trustee (unpaid) of The Warrior Programme and the ADVANCE study charity and is an independent advisor to the Independent Group Advising on the Release of Data for NHS Digital. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. Funding Information: This article represents independent research funded by the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD). SAM Stevelink’s salary is funded in part by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), Biomedical Research Centre at South London and Maudsley National Health Service (NHS) Foundation Trust, and King’s College London. NT Fear reports grants from the U.S. Department of Defense and the UK MoD, is a trustee (unpaid) of The Warrior Programme and the ADVANCE study charity and is an independent advisor to the Independent Group Advising on the Release of Data for NHS Digital. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s) 2023.

PY - 2023/2

Y1 - 2023/2

N2 - Introduction: Being aware of and willing to access mental health services are important first steps in help-seeking behaviour. However, evidence suggests that UK armed forces personnel are not always aware of or willing to access sources of mental health support. This study explored which sources of support UK armed forces personnel are most aware of, and willing to use, for a self-reported mental health problem and the possible differences between serving and ex-serving personnel. Methods: Data were taken from a cross-sectional study of 1,432 UK serving and ex-serving personnel who had self-reported a mental health, stress, or emotional problem in the past three years. Results: Military personnel, irrespective of serving status, were most aware of, and willing to access, formal medical services. In contrast, there was a low awareness of and willingness to use ex-serving-specific support services among ex-serving personnel. Discussion: Future service delivery and policy should focus on improving the variety of sources of support that ex-serving personnel are aware of, and willing to use, to enable them to make informed choices about where to seek help if needed.

AB - Introduction: Being aware of and willing to access mental health services are important first steps in help-seeking behaviour. However, evidence suggests that UK armed forces personnel are not always aware of or willing to access sources of mental health support. This study explored which sources of support UK armed forces personnel are most aware of, and willing to use, for a self-reported mental health problem and the possible differences between serving and ex-serving personnel. Methods: Data were taken from a cross-sectional study of 1,432 UK serving and ex-serving personnel who had self-reported a mental health, stress, or emotional problem in the past three years. Results: Military personnel, irrespective of serving status, were most aware of, and willing to access, formal medical services. In contrast, there was a low awareness of and willingness to use ex-serving-specific support services among ex-serving personnel. Discussion: Future service delivery and policy should focus on improving the variety of sources of support that ex-serving personnel are aware of, and willing to use, to enable them to make informed choices about where to seek help if needed.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85152262723&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.3138/jmvfh-2022-0009

DO - 10.3138/jmvfh-2022-0009

M3 - Article

SN - 2368-7924

VL - 9

SP - 76

EP - 85

JO - Journal of Military, Veteran and Family Health

JF - Journal of Military, Veteran and Family Health

IS - 1

ER -