Exploring the barriers and facilitators to accessing and utilising mental health services in regional, rural, and remote Australia: A scoping review protocol

Abstract

Introduction Australians from regional, rural, and remote areas face diverse and complex challenges in accessing and utilising mental health services. Previous research has pointed to a range of individual, community, structural, and systemic barriers at play, however, limited literature has synthesised the knowledge on this topic. Parallel to this, information on the facilitators to accessing and utilising mental health services for this group is not well documented. This protocol describes the methodology to undertake a scoping review, which aims to explore the barriers and facilitators associated with accessing and utilising mental health services in regional, rural, and remote Australia. In addition, the scoping review aims to geographically map the identified barriers and facilitators. Methods This protocol is guided by Arksey and O’Malley’s methodological framework. A search strategy will be developed and implemented to identify relevant peer-reviewed and grey literature. Studies will be included if they report on the barriers and/or facilitators associated with accessing and/or utilising mental health services in regional, rural, and remote Australia. Two reviewers will independently screen the data at the title/abstract and full-text stage. One reviewer will extract the relevant data using a predetermined charting form and a second reviewer will validate the included data. A Geographical Information System program will be used to map the location of the studies; locations will be stratified according to the Modified Monash Model and relationships between barriers and facilitators will be analysed. Key findings will be presented in a narrative account and in text, tables, and maps. Discussion This scoping review will provide a contemporary account on the barriers and facilitators to accessing and utilising mental health services for regional, rural, and remote Australians. It is anticipated that the results of this scoping review will have national policy relevance and may be useful to healthcare providers.

Behavioural activation for people in custody with depression: A protocol for a feasibility randomised controlled study

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Decentralised clinical trials in rural Australia: Opportunities and challenges

“…25,26 However, accessing appropriate mental health support can be challenging for many people living in rural Australia. 27 Behavioural activation (BA) has been shown effective in improving mood in adults. In a codesigned trial with local partners, we are examining the feasibility and acceptability of implementing a BA teletrial delivered collaboratively with Financial Wellbeing & Capability Programs-Outback SA (FWCP) offered by Centacare Catholic Country SA (CCCSA), a not-for-profit organisation in South Australia.…”

“…There is good evidence that financial stress can result in a low mood 25,26 . However, accessing appropriate mental health support can be challenging for many people living in rural Australia 27 . Behavioural activation (BA) has been shown effective in improving mood in adults.…”

Mental health literacy in Polynesian Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islanders

“…Poor overall health literacy has been associated with socioeconomic disparities, race, age, gender, and cultural factors (Agner et al., 2023). Some research in Australia has suggested a recognised poor MHL in migrant refugees, aboriginal and islander peoples (Day et al., 2021; Kavanagh et al., 2023). However, MHL from a cultural context has not been well studied (Daluwatta et al., 2022).…”

“…While mental illness rates may not differ by culture, each culture responds differently to mental health challenges (Altweck et al., 2015). MHL has been studied in many diverse populations such as university students in Arabic countries (Almanasef, 2021; Alshehri et al., 2021; Jafari et al., 2021; Mahmoodi et al., 2022; Noroozi et al., 2018), Chinese teachers (Chen et al., 2021), Australian migrant and aboriginal peoples (Day et al., 2021; Kavanagh et al., 2023), and European university students (Marwood & Hearn, 2019; Montagni & González Caballero, 2022). Despite this, many claim that understanding MHL within a cultural context is still in its infancy (Allen et al., 2016; Daluwatta et al., 2022; Park, 2020; Subica, Aitaoto, Link, et al., 2019; Subica, Aitaoto, Sullivan, et al., 2019; Vovou et al., 2021).…”