ABSTRACT

Mental health is a desirable state globally and a requirement for optimum performance in any area of human endeavour. Studies have shown that a lot of people have one mental challenge or the other and that most people are unwilling to use mental healthcare services.  There are indications that librarians in private universities may not be immune to factors that predispose to mental health challenges. Moreover, previous studies have focused on the factors that determine people’s willingness to use mental healthcare services without adequate consideration for health information rights awareness, perceived stigmatization and personal factors. The study examined the extent to which Health Information Rights Awareness (HIRA), Perceived Stigmatization (PS) and Personal Factors (PF) predict Willingness to use Mental Healthcare Services (WMHS) among librarians in private universities in South-West, Nigeria.

The survey design was used for the study. The population comprised 349 librarians in 22 private universities in South-west, Nigeria. The census was used to include the entire population in the study. The instrument was a validated questionnaire. The reliability test of the variables ranged between α = 0.63 - 0.74. Data were analysed using binary logistic and multiple regression.

The findings showed that health information rights awareness significantly predicted willingness to use mental healthcare services among the respondents (R2 = 0.334, p<.05). Also, perceived stigmatization significantly influenced the use of mental healthcare services (R2 = 0.176, p<.05). Furthermore, personal factors significantly predicted willingness to use mental healthcare with females less likely to use mental healthcare services (β = -0.043, p<.05). Respondents below 40 years (β = -0.172, p<.05); those with salary below N100, 000 (β= -0.020, p<.05) and those with higher education (β= -0.505, p<.05) were more willing to use mental healthcare services.

The study concluded that although health information rights awareness is high among academic librarians in South-West, Nigeria. Perceived stigmatization and personal factors such as education, age and gender could prevent them from using mental healthcare services. The study recommended that government should formulate and enforce anti-stigma policies and ensure strict adherence to ethical guidelines in management of health information by mental healthcare providers. Also, promotional efforts for mental healthcare services utilization should target women, youth and people with low level of education. Finally, libraries should create awareness on the need for mental health services utilization.

Keywords:      Health information rights awareness, Librarians, Perceived stigmatization,

Personal factors, Willingness to use mental healthcare