Predictors of barriers to accessing youth mental health and/or addiction care

Background: It is estimated that 1.2 million Canadian youth are affected by mental health and/or addiction issues; yet only a small proportion of young people receive appropriate and specialized treatment. Given caregivers are often tasked with navigating the complex mental health and/or addiction care systems for their youth, it is important to identify and understand the characteristics, such as those related to youth and their families, that are associated with caregivers' perceived barriers to accessing youth mental health and/or addiction services. Objective: The objective of this crosssectional survey study was to examine the unique predictors of caregivers' perceived barriers to accessing youth mental health and/or addiction services. Method: Participants were 259 caregivers of at least one youth, aged 4 to 29 years (Mage = 16.7, SD = 5.3) with mental health and/or addiction issues in Ontario, Canada identified from a community-based online survey. Results: Regression results showed that caregivers' demographics (i.e., living in a rural area, having an education level of college/university degree or higher), youth having concurrent issues, and service use patterns (i.e., currently accessing and/or seeking services) significantly predicted a higher level of barriers to accessing mental health and/or addiction services. Conclusion: In order to improve access to care for youth with mental health and/or addiction issues, understanding the predictors of barriers to accessing appropriate services is an important step in making services more accessible for youth and families.