Are ukrainians ready for mental health services: a sociodemographic perspective
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Abstract
The purpose of this study is to examine the level of openness to psychological assistance and the fear of it among different socio-demographic groups in Ukraine.
Methodology. The article presents the results of a survey of 1000 respondents aged 16 to 88 years, conducted in November 2023 using the telephone interview method (CATI). Data were collected by Info Sapiens Research Company as part of the national Omnibus survey and are representative of Ukraine. The main research question was: "Do you have any fears (concerns) related to seeking psychological help from a psychologist or psychotherapist?" with provided answer options. The survey also included a block of questions on socio-demographic characteristics. The sample was segmented by the presence of fear of seeking psychological help and openness to it. The chi-square test was used for bivariate analysis.
The results show that fear of psychological help is an important predictor of openness to it but does not always determine the final decision to seek help. Gender differences reveal that men are almost twice as likely as women to avoid seeking help. Fear of psychological help also has a gender component: most men are not afraid to seek psychological help, while women more often experience fear of seeking professional assistance. Other significant differences were observed in income and education levels, age, size of the settlement, type of employment, language of communication, age of children, region of residence, and migration experience due to the war.
Conclusions. The obtained data can be useful for developing recommendations to improve the accessibility and acceptance of psychological help, as well as programs that take into account the features of different socio-demographic groups.
Prospects. Promising areas for further research include an in-depth study of the motivations and barriers to seeking psychological help, as well as the impact of stigma on attitudes toward psychological assistance. This will contribute to reducing the stigmatization of psychotherapy and enhancing the psychological culture in Ukrainian society.
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