A national study of provincial and territorial correctional service providers in Canada: a comparison of mental health knowledge, stigma, and service use intentions

Correctional workers are exposed to operational and organizational stresses when fulfilling their occupational responsibilities, which increasingly appear to be associated with mental health symptoms and disorders. Yet, research continues to find correctional workers are hesitant to seek treatment because of struggles with mental health related stigma. In the current study, we examined correctional worker ( N = 3,740) mental health knowledge, service use intention, and the related stigma comparatively by their demographics, occupational group, or historical diagnosis of a mental health disorder(s) across every provincial and territorial correctional service in Canada. Females reported significantly higher mental health knowledge and service use intentions and lower stigma than males (all p < 0.001; knowledge d = –0.31, stigma d = 0.44, service use d = –0.23). Younger workers showed lower stigma, and those aged 21–29 reported lower service use intentions than older groups (all p < 0.01; stigma η 2 = 0.013, service use η 2 = 0.009). Higher education was associated with greater mental health knowledge and lower stigma ( p < 0.001; knowledge η 2 = 0.028, stigma η 2 = 0.026), and workers with fewer years of service reported lower stigma ( p < 0.001; η 2 = 0.007). Mental health knowledge was positively associated with service use intentions, and stigma was inversely associated with both outcomes (all p < 0.001). Significant provincial/territorial and occupational differences were also observed. Despite education and awareness, mental health remains stigmatized; thus we discuss why, reflecting on our findings, to suggest possible components of solutions.