Barriers and Predictors of Seeking Mental Health Care Among Adults in Oman, 2023: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Help-seeking for mental health care remains low in Oman and globally, contributing to increased morbidity and mortality. Identifying barriers is essential to improving access. This study is the first to examine the prevalence of mental health problems and help-seeking behavior in Al Dhahira governorate, Oman. Methods: It is a cross-sectional study conducted between 1 August and 30 September 2023, in the three cities of Al Dhahira Governorate, Oman. It employed a convenient, proportionate sampling approach and involved willing Omani adults aged 18–64 from the 18 areas of Al Dhahira governorate. Data were collected using the Barriers to Access to Care Evaluation (BACE-III) Arabic Version questionnaire, which was self-completed by the participants. IBM SPSS Statistics (Version 23) was used for data analysis. Results: A total of 357 participants were involved in the study. It was found that the prevalence of mental health problems (self-reported) was 11.5% and only 5.3% sought professional help. Age (p-value = 0.046) and marital status (p-value = 0.028) were found to be significantly associated with having mental health problems. While the significantly associated factors with stigma barriers were city (p-value = 0.039) and education level (p-value = 0.023), the associated factor with attitudinal barriers was educational level (p-value = 0.049). The independent predictors for seeking mental health care and having mental health problems were government worker (p-value = 0.014) and Yanqul residency (p-value = 0.003). Conclusions: In the Al Dhahira governorate, the prevalence of mental health problems was found to be low. Stigma and attitudinal barriers affect seeking help significantly in the governorate. Integrating mental health into the primary care setting and increasing awareness to overcome these barriers will improve access to mental health services.