Perceived unmet need for care and barriers to care among individuals with mental health issues: a meta-analysis

Armoon, B, Lesage, A, Mohammadi, R, Khoshnazar, Z, Varnosfaderani, MR, Hosseini, A, Fotovvati, F, Mohammadjani, F, khosravi, L, Beigzadeh, M and Griffiths, MD ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8880-6524, 2025. Perceived unmet need for care and barriers to care among individuals with mental health issues: a meta-analysis. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research. ISSN 0894-587X

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Abstract

Unmet needs refer to the gap between the health services individuals require and what they receive. Individuals with mental health issues often face barriers preventing them from accessing the care they need. A meta-analysis was conducted to estimate the pooled prevalence of unmet needs for care and barriers to care among individuals with mental health issues. The databases PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library were searched for relevant studies published from December 1, 1985 to August 1, 2024. Following the screening process, 204 included studies remained for meta-analysis. Individuals with mental health issues reported significant pooled prevalence rate of unmet care needs over the past year, with the most common being related to work/occupation (43%), dental care (41%), counseling (40%), social intervention (37%), mental health (34%), physical health needs (33%), skills training (32%), social network (32%), psychological distress (31%), information (27%), intimate relationships (27%), benefits (26%), harm reduction (25%), psychotic symptoms (24%), housing (24%), money and food (21%), education (20%), sexual expression (19%), home care (16%), safety (15%), self-care (15%), telephone support (9%), and child care (8%). The pooled prevalence rates of barriers to accessing care were motivational (38%), structural (37%), financial (31%), and stigmatization (25%). The findings indicated that patients with substance use disorders experienced a significantly higher prevalence of unmet care needs and barriers to accessing care compared to those with mental health disorders and homeless individuals. The results showed that unmet care needs were highest among those in established adulthood, while harm reduction was more common among adolescents and emerging adults. Physical health and food needs were most prevalent among midlife adults. Barriers to care were most common among adolescents and emerging adults, except for structural barriers, which were most frequent among midlife adults. To address the unmet employment needs of Individuals with mental health issues, comprehensive training in essential skills is recommended. Enhancing dentists’ mental health understanding and fostering collaboration among healthcare providers is crucial. Government-funded, low-barrier service models for substance use disorder patients is suggested to enhance accessibility and effectiveness, while improving health service affordability and acceptability is essential.

Item Type:	Journal article
Publication Title:	Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research
Creators:	Armoon, B., Lesage, A., Mohammadi, R., Khoshnazar, Z., Varnosfaderani, M.R., Hosseini, A., Fotovvati, F., Mohammadjani, F., khosravi, L., Beigzadeh, M. and Griffiths, M.D.
Publisher:	Springer
Date:	2 May 2025
ISSN:	0894-587X
Identifiers:	Number Type 10.1007/s10488-025-01446-x DOI 2435569 Other
Rights:	This version of the article has been accepted for publication, after peer review (when applicable) and is subject to Springer Nature’s AM terms of use, but is not the Version of Record and does not reflect post-acceptance improvements, or any corrections. The Version of Record is available online at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10488-025-01446-x
Divisions:	Schools > School of Social Sciences
Record created by:	Jonathan Gallacher
Date Added:	06 May 2025 13:03
Last Modified:	06 May 2025 13:03
URI:	https://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/53533

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