1) Mental health is crucial to well-being and is influenced by physical, social, economic, and environmental factors. Mental disorders, such as anxiety and mood disorders, affect nearly 800 million people worldwide. 2) Stigma towards those with mental illness creates barriers to accessing treatment. Research shows stigma deters help-seeking, though the extent of its influence requires more study. 3) The proposed study aims to assess the association between stigma and help-seeking among mental health patients and determine if certain populations are more strongly impacted by stigma in seeking help. It will address gaps in understanding the role stigma plays in deterring treatment.

1. Running Head: EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE PROJECT
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RESEARCH
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Advance Nursing Research
Mental Health
Mental health is crucial in every stage of life. It is defined as
the state of psychological well-being whereby the individual
realizes a satisfactory integration instinctual drive acceptable to
both oneself and his or her social setting (Ritchie &
Roser, 2018). The status of mental health influences physical
health, relationships, and most importantly day-to-day life.
Mental health problems arise when there is a disruption in
mental well-being.
The risk factors to mental health problems are not limited and
therefore everyone is entitled to the problem irrespective of
gender, economic status, and ethnic group. For example, data
shows that in America one out of five individuals experience
mental health problems annually, with mental disorders being
recognized as the leading cause of disability not only in the
United States but also globally (Ritchie & Roser, 2018). Mental
health disorders are seen to be complex and of many forms such
as anxiety, mood, and schizophrenia, among others.
Data shows that in 2017 about seven hundred and ninety-two
million people lived with a mental disorder. Challenges have
been identified with data presentation since mental health
disorders are under-reported worldwide (Ritchie &
Roser, 2018). World health organization data shows that mental
health disorders are not only determined by one’s ability to
manage their thoughts, behavior and interaction with others but

2. also economic, environmental and social factors. For example,
the on-going global financial crisis creates a macroeconomic
phenomenon that provides a significant opportunity for mental
health consequences with an increased rate of suicide and
harmful substance use.
Most research studies have shown that there exist many gaps in
relation to mental health problems. The gap ranges from
treatment interventions and effective use of the available tools
to reduce the issues of mental health. For example, there exists
a research gap on the interventions meant to reduce and
eradicate stigma which has been recognized as a determinant of
mental health problems and this spiked my interest.
Therefore, in order to fill this gap such question as a) What is
the association between stigma towards mental health patients
and help-seeking? b) To what extent does stigma constitute a
barrier to the search for help among mental health patients? And
c) Are there populations that are more deterred from seeking
help due to stigma? Have to be answered through research to get
the intended purpose.
References
Ritchie, H., & Roser, M. (2018, April). Mental Health.
Retrieved from https://ourworldindata.org/mental-health
W.H.O. (2020). Mental Health. Retrieved from
https://www.who.int/mental_health/en/
Running Head: ADVANCE NURSING RESEARCH
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ADVANCE NURSING RESEARCH
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Week #6 Assignment 1: The Details of Your EBP Project.
EBP Project Proposal Draft

3. Research topic
To assess the role of stigma towards mental health patients in
help seeking.
Research problem
Most studies have shown that stigmatization towards mental
health patients have been present throughout history and even
despite the evolution in modern medicine and advanced
treatment. Stigmatization have resulted from the belief that
those with mental problem are aggressive and dangerous
creating a social distance (Szeto et al., 2017). Also, mental
health-related stigma has become of major concern as it creates
crucial barriers to access treatment and quality care since it not
only influences the behaviour of the patients but also the
attitude of the providers hence impacting help-seeking. Most
studies have identified stigma as a barrier that is of significance
to care or help seeking while the extent to which it still remains
a barrier have not been reviewed deeply. Therefore, this study
will assess the role contributed by stigma in help seeking in
depth.
Research purpose
The intention of the research study is to review the association
between stigma, mental illness and help seeking in order to
assess in depth the role that mental-health stigma contribute in
help seeking.
Research objectives
a) To review the background history of mental-health related
stigma and mental problem or illness
b) To explore the impacts of stigma
c) To assess an association between the contributing factors of
stigma to help seeking
d) To assess the extent in which these factors of stigma
contribute to help seeking.
e) To assess the risk factors influencing help seeking with

4. regard to stigma
Research questions
a) What is the association between stigma towards mental health
patients and help-seeking?
b) To what degree does stigma constitute a barrier to the search
for help among mental health patients?
c) Are there populations that are more deterred from seeking
help due to stigma?
Research Hypothesis
Ho: stigma towards mental health patients have a significant
role in influencing help seeking
Ha: the extent to which stigma influences help seeking is not
significant
Theoretical framework
Stigma has been described as a negative effect of a label and the
product of disgrace that makes a person to be apart from others
(Henderson et al., 2013). It is built upon distinct constructs
prejudice, discrimination, and stereotypes (Henderson et al.,
2013). For example, believing that those people diagnosed with
mental illness is stereotype. Also, agreeing with the fact that
those with mental problem are indeed dangerous with a resultant
fear or anger is prejudice while discrimination is the total
avoidance to those with mental conditions as a result of
prejudice and stereotype. Mental problem or illness is a
condition that distorts an individual’s capability to relate to
others, thinking, mood feeling and also daily functioning (Szeto
et al., 2017).
Many studies have reported an existence of negative attitudes
with regard to mental health problem and social distance
(Henderson et al., 2013). This is because those persons with
mental problem are regarded as dangerous, a public nuisance

5. and aggressive. Some of the contributing factors include the
media which influences the society’s view, public perception
which is influenced by the level of understanding towards
mental health problems and the illness itself and also reluctance
to seek help which contribute to further stigmatization. Stigma
is therefore seen as barrier since it inhibits a person from
seeking help hence resulting to a treatment gap and
advancement in medical programs meant to reduce cases of
medical care (Szeto et al., 2017). Therefore, mental health-
related stigma is seen to influence help seeking by creating a
general pattern of behavior and attitudes.
References
Henderson, C., Evans-Lacko, S., & Thornicroft, G. (2013).
Mental Illness Stigma, Help Seeking, and Public Health
Programs. American Journal of Public Health, 103(5), 777-780.
doi:10.2105/ajph.2012.301056
Knaak, S., Mantler, E., & Szeto, A. (2017). Mental illness-
related stigma in healthcare. Healthcare Management
Forum, 30(2), 111-116. doi:10.1177/0840470416679413