Who knows where to find mental health help on campus? Structural, psychosocial and need-based predictors of knowledge of campus-based mental health services among post-secondary students

BACKGROUND: Despite increasing reports of mental health problems among post-secondary students, only a small minority appear to be using campus-based mental health services. Given this discrepancy, research is required to better understand factors contributing to low service utilization to identify potential barriers to access, including knowledge of where to access services. As knowledge proceeds intention to use service, it represents a key upstream intervention target for student populations. METHODS: Data comes from the 2022 Canadian Campus Wellbeing Survey based on a large (n = 5578) sample from a single, multi-campus post-secondary institution with comprehensive mental health services. Logistic regression is used to identify structural (e.g., gender, ethnicity), psychosocial (e.g., favourable to professional help seeking) and needs-based (e.g., psychological distress, suicidal ideation) predictors of knowledge of where to access campus-based mental health services. Results are compared with a similar model predicting knowledge of where to access off-campus mental health services. RESULTS: A third of students did not have knowledge of where to find on-campus MH services; a significantly larger proportion lacked knowledge of off-campus services (45%, P<.001). Being aged 30-35 (vs. <20 years, OR = 0.68; 95% CI= 0.49-0.95), Asian ethnicity (OR = 0.62, 95% CI = 0.53-0.74), international student status (OR = 0.52; 95% CI 0.44-0.62), and being favourable to seeking professional help (OR = 0.56, 95% CI = 0.49-0.64) were associated with lower odds of not knowing where to find MH services on campus. Living off campus (OR = 1.89; 95% CI = 1.53-2.33), having a disability without academic accommodations (OR = 1.27, 95% CI = 1.08-1.50) and higher psychological distress (OR = 1.03, 95% CI = 1.02-1.04) were associated with higher odds of not knowing. Several important differences in predictors were found when comparing knowledge of on- and off-campus MH services. CONCLUSION: A variety of factors are identified as predictors of knowledge of where to find on-campus MH services. Of great importance are the findings regarding need-based factors that underscore the necessity of upstream approaches for fostering greater awareness of services before students develop acute mental health needs and may be less able to acquire the knowledge needed to get help.