Background

Mental health concerns have become increasingly prevalent among adolescents in Canada. Approximately one in five Canadian youth experience mental health-related problems, with 70% of these concerns arising during childhood and adolescence1. Despite having the highest rates of mental health concerns across all age groups, adolescents also have the highest rate of unmet healthcare needs2. Several factors may prevent adolescents from seeking mental health support, such as lack of awareness, stigma, discrimination, high costs, and long wait times2,3. This leads to a significant gap in mental healthcare-seeking behavior among this population, which can worsen mental health problems and have long-term negative consequences4. Therefore, understanding the awareness of mental health services and the barriers to receiving support among adolescents is crucial in developing effective interventions and improving mental health outcomes for this population.

Objective

This study aims to assess the awareness of mental health services among adolescents aged 13 to 24 years old, with a particular focus on identifying gaps in their knowledge of the available services, and barriers to accessing mental health supports.

Methodology

This study will employ a cross-sectional design and will use a questionnaire to collect data from a representative sample of adolescents in high school and university. The questionnaire will consist of a combination of multiple choice, and short answer questions, designed to capture information about the participants' demographics, previous experience with mental health services, awareness and understanding of available services, and barriers to seeking mental health support.

Conclusion

The results of this study will provide crucial information regarding the knowledge gap that currently exists among adolescents regarding awareness and access to mental health services. By understanding the barriers that prevent adolescents from seeking help, targeted interventions can be implemented to improve their knowledge and understanding of mental health services, which can lead to improved access to care, and prevent the long-term consequences of untreated mental health problems among adolescents.  

References

1.  Child and Youth Mental Health. https://ontario.cmha.ca/mental-health/child-and-youth-mental-health/.

2.  Kourgiantakis, T. et al. Access to mental health and addiction services for youth and their families in Ontario: perspectives of parents, youth, and service providers. International Journal of Mental Health Systems 17, 4 (2023).

3.  Access to mental health support, unmet need and preferences among adolescents during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, HPCDP: Vol 43(4), April 2023. https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/reports-publications/health-promotion-chronic-disease-prevention-canada-research-policy-practice/vol-43-no-4-2023/access-mental-health-support-unmet-need-preferences-adolescents-covid-19-pandemic.html (2023).

4. Radez, J. et al. Why do children and adolescents (not) seek and access professional help for their mental health problems? A systematic review of quantitative and qualitative studies. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 30, 183–211 (2021).