Why do people seek help? An evaluation of treatment barriers and help-seeking in anxiety disorders

Anxiety disorders are common, and effective treatments exist; however, many people with anxiety disorders do not access these treatments. The current study aimed to examine treatment barriers specific to anxiety disorders, to examine how demographic variables influence treatment barriers for anxiety disorders in an Australian population, and to examine the utility of the Health Belief Model (HBM) in predicting help-seeking behaviour in relation to anxiety disorders. A convenience sample of 243 first year psychology students and other interested individuals aged over 18 completed online questionnaires examining predictors of help-seeking behaviour. An independent samples t-test revealed that 18-25 year olds experience significantly more treatment barriers than those over 25. In addition, a standard multiple regression analysis determined that 51% of the variance in help-seeking intention can be accounted for by the HBM, with gender and perceived treatment benefits making significant contributions to the model. Results demonstrate that age may be an important variable to consider when designing health promotion campaigns to reduce barriers for people with anxiety disorders. Furthermore, it was evident that HBM factors can predict help-seeking behaviour for anxiety disorders, and that increasing perceived benefits of treatment may be an effective strategy for increasing appropriate help-seeking.