Exploring Relationships Between Occupational Prestige, Perceived Public Stigma, Mental Health Experiences of Stigma, and Professional Help-Seeking in the General Canadian Population
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Authors
Telega, Lyndsey
Date
Type
thesis
Language
eng
Keyword
Stigma , Help-Seeking , Occupational Prestige
Alternative Title
Abstract
Background: Workplace mental health has increasingly become a public health concern in Canada as employees are missing work every week because of a mental health issue, costing the Canadian economy billions annually. This is the first study to examine occupational prestige and its relationship to perceived public stigma, mental health experiences of stigma, and professional help-seeking.
Methods: Cross-sectional survey data on a nationally representative sample of working Canadians between the ages of 15 and 75 from Statistics Canada’s 2010 Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) and rapid response stigma modules were used to explore both objectives (N=10,389). SAS 9.4 was used to conduct complex survey data analyses, all of which incorporated Statistics Canada’s recommended sampling weights and bootstrap variance estimation procedures. Multiple linear regression and logistic regression were used to examine the associations between occupational prestige, perceived public stigma toward depression, mental health experiences of stigma during the past 12 months because of a past or current emotional or mental health problem, and professional help-seeking. Considered covariates included: gender, age, ethnic or cultural background, education, household income, marital status, number of dependent children, chronic physical condition, self-rated general mental health, and contact with a work colleague who has received treatment for a mental illness.
Results: Controlling for perceived public stigma in the direct effect between occupational prestige and professional help-seeking (ORdirect=0.994, 95% CI: 0.970-1.020) did not attenuate the total effect between occupational prestige and professional help-seeking, without controlling for perceived public stigma (ORtotal=0.995, 95% CI: 0.972-1.020). The confidence interval for the indirect effect of perceived public stigma toward depression as a mediator in the relationship between occupational prestige and professional help-seeking crossed the null value of one (ORindirect=0.999, 95% CI: 0.949-1.053), indicating that perceived public stigma toward depression is not an important mediator. Higher occupational prestige scores significantly reduced the odds of experienced stigma during the past 12 months because of a past or current emotional or mental health problem (OR=0.954, 95% CI: 0.913-0.998). Occupational prestige was not significantly associated with negative opinions or unfair treatment affecting work life (OR=0.945, 95% CI: 0.762-1.173).
Conclusion: Perceived public stigma toward depression is not an important mediator in the explored relationship between occupational prestige and professional help-seeking. Higher occupational prestige scores might facilitate resistance against mental health experiences of stigma.
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ProQuest PhD and Master's Theses International Dissemination Agreement
Intellectual Property Guidelines at Queen's University
Copying and Preserving Your Thesis
This publication is made available by the authority of the copyright owner solely for the purpose of private study and research and may not be copied or reproduced except as permitted by the copyright laws without written authority from the copyright owner.
Attribution 3.0 United States