Structural challenges in the search for mental health services among military police officers: an integrative review

Introduction: Military police officers daily face stressful and potentially traumatic situations, resulting in a high prevalence of occupational stress and mental comorbidities within this group. Despite this, the pursuit of mental health services by these professionals encounters structural challenges that are still insufficiently discussed. Objective: To determine the factors that most influence the search for, provision of, and utilization of mental health services by police officers through an integrative literature review. Materials and Methods: The search for articles was conducted using the following databases: Virtual Health Library (VHL), MEDLINE, Scopus, and Embase. After the selection process, 23 articles were included for analysis in this review. Results: The main findings indicate that social stigma, lack of knowledge on the subject, and organizational deficiencies are critical aspects that hinder the pursuit of psychological well-being services in the police field. Discussion: Despite the many barriers to police officers seeking mental health care, it was highlighted that family support and professional development are positively related to help-seeking behavior. Conclusion: Further research is needed to evaluate mental health programs and better understand the difficulties in implementing these services. Promoting the search for psychological help is essential to improving police officers' health and population's safety.