Navigating pathways to care: exploring older adults’ experiences seeking psychological care using the Network Episode Model-II
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Date
2016
Authors
Beatie, Brooke E.
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Abstract
Within the next 20 years, mental health problems are projected to be the leading cause of disability in Canada. Given that one in four Canadians is expected to be over the age of 65 by 2036, older adults’ mental health problems are a growing public health concern, especially because the rate of mental health service use is particularly low among this age group. Although there have been several decades of mental health research, it is still not well understood why older adults are not accessing treatment. A possible explanation for this is that identifying reasons for poor access alone does not capture the multifaceted, complex nature of individuals’ experiences with mental health problems and their paths into treatment. To address this gap in the literature, this study explored older adults’ experiences seeking psychological care and the factors that influence this dynamic process using the Network Episode Model-II (NEM-II; Pescosolido & Boyer, 2010; Pescosolido et al., 2013). To achieve this objective I conducted 15 individual semi-structured interviews with adults 60 years of age and older, who were receiving outpatient psychological services from a hospital in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Findings from this study suggest that participants’ background (social content), social support network, and the treatment system influence, and are influenced by, participants’ illness careers. Factors that delayed participants’ help-seeking included: a lack of support, “inappropriate” referrals or advice from treatment professionals, and a lack of knowledge among older adults about mental health and treatment options. This research has implications for researchers, clinicians, and public policy initiatives aimed at enhancing older adults’ access to psychological care.
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Keywords
Mental health, Older adults, Service utilization, Illness career, Network-episode model