Factors Predicting the Likelihood of Seeking Help from Social Workers in Israel

This article presents the results of a study conducted in Israel that examined the contribution of demographic factors, public attitudes toward social workers, and stigma to predicting the self-reported likelihood of seeking help from social workers. The data were collected through a structured questionnaire administered to a sample of 2,188 respondents age 21 and older who had never before sought help from a social worker or been treated by one. The research findings show that most of the respondents' demographic characteristics (that is, gender, age, marital status, and religiosity) contributed significantly to predicting the likelihood of seeking help from a social worker, whereas socioeconomic status did not. Furthermore, positive attitudes toward social workers and less bias in seeking their help were found to positively predict the likelihood of doing so. An important conclusion is that social workers should be aware of population groups that are less likely to seek their professional help and promote methods of reaching out to them.