An exploratory study of facilitators and barriers to mental health help-seeking in Indian immigrant youth in Gauteng, South Africa

Abstract

It has been documented in international literature that Indian immigrants underutilise mental health services to a significant extent. The purpose of this study was to identify the facilitators and barriers which prevent or prompt mental health help-seeking among Indian immigrant youth in South Africa by evaluating their personal and lived experiences. To achieve this aim, a qualitative study was done adopting a phenomenological design, which allowed for an understanding of the lived experiences of Indian immigrant youth regarding mental health help-seeking. Nine participants were recruited through purposive sampling from Gauteng, and data collection was performed through online interviews that explored the participants’ lived experiences. The data was analysed using thematic analysis. Five subthemes of facilitators were identified, namely, encouragement to seek help for mental health difficulties, social media and the mass media, university and school environments, availability and awareness of resources, and open conversations about mental health. Four subthemes of barriers were also identified, namely, the individual’s perspectives on mental health, a lack of access to resources, parental factors that discourage help-seeking, and community factors that discourage help-seeking. It is hoped that an improved understanding of the barriers and facilitators will also allow other Indian immigrant youth to manage their help-seeking processes while increasing awareness about others in the community with similar experiences.