Does Help Seeking Behavior Change Over Time Following a Workplace Mental Health Intervention in the Coal Mining Industry?. Issue 6 (June 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Sayers, Emma; Rich, Jane; Rahman, Md Mijanur; Kelly, Brian; James, Carole
• Is Part Of: Journal of occupational and environmental medicine. Volume 61:Issue 6(2019)
• Publication Date: 2019-06
• Subjects: coal mining -- help seeking -- mental health; Medicine, Industrial -- Periodicals; Environmental health -- Periodicals; Occupational Medicine -- Periodicals; Environmental Medicine -- Periodicals; Environmental health; Medicine, Industrial; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 616.9803
• DOI: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000001605
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1076-2752

Abstract

Abstract : Objectives: To investigate help seeking behavior and attitudes to mental health in mining employees. Methods: A pre-post survey study of employees from two Australian coal mines. Data were collected prior to, at baseline, at 6 and 18 months following delivery of the MATES in mining (MIM) peer support mental health intervention. Results: Help seeking behaviors increased, with participants' sex, age, relationship status, shift type, and psychological distress significantly associated with likelihood of seeking help ( P <0.05). In relation to stigma, significantly more participants' disagreed that they would be treated differently by friends or colleagues following disclosure of mental illness ( P < 0.01). Conclusions: Results provide an understanding of help seeking behaviors of mining employees; support the MATES in Mining peer support program in the men dominated industry and provide information to guide mental health workplace program development more broadly.