Access to mental health supports and services: Perspectives of young women living in rural Nova Scotia (Canada)

Holly Mathias, Lois Jackson, Jean Hughes, Mark Asbridge

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

3 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

There is limited literature on youths’ experiences of accessing mental health supports and services in rural Canada. Through interviews with young women, this research explored barriers and facilitators to accessing mental health services and supports in rural Nova Scotia. Participants shared numerous barriers at the family, school, and community levels, including stigma from family, lack of knowledge of school supports, and limited community service options. Facilitators also existed at these three levels, including supportive parents, school-based service availability, and supportive community members. Increased investment in school-based services may improve access; however, an understanding of young men’s experiences is needed first.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)89-103
Number of pages15
JournalCanadian Journal of Community Mental Health
Volume40
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jul 2021

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
We would like to acknowledge the financial support of Dalhousie University, the IWK Foundation, the Nova Scotia Health Research Foundation and Queen’s University Alumni Association. This study was also supported by the Maritime SPOR Support Unit (MSSU), which receives financial support from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Nova Scotia Department of Health and Wellness, the New Brunswick Department of Health, the Nova Scotia Health Research Foundation (NSHRF), and the New Brunswick Health Research Foundation (NBHRF). The opinions, results, and conclusions reported in this article are those of the authors and are independent from the funding sources. No endorsement by the MSSU or the named funding partners is intended or should be inferred. This article is based on findings from Masters-level thesis work.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2021, Canadian Periodical for Community Studies Inc. All rights reserved.

ASJC Scopus Subject Areas

  • Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
  • Psychiatry and Mental health

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