The Gap in Mental Health Service Utilization Among United Methodist Clergy with Anxiety and Depressive Symptoms. 2023

Blen Biru, and Jia Yao, and James Plunket, and Celia F Hybels, and Eunsoo Timothy Kim, and David E Eagle, and Jessica Y Choi, and Rae Jean Proeschold-Bell
Center for Health Policy and Inequalities Research, Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, 310 Trent Drive, Durham, NC, 27705, USA.

Clergy are tasked with multiple interpersonal administrative, organizational, and religious responsibilities, such as preaching, teaching, counseling, administering sacraments, developing lay leader skills, and providing leadership and vision for the congregation and community. The high expectations and demands placed on them put them at an increased risk for mental distress such as depression and anxiety. Little is known about whether and how clergy, helpers themselves, receive care when they experience mental distress. All active United Methodist Church (UMC) clergy in North Carolina were recruited to take a survey in 2019 comprising validated depression and anxiety screeners and questions about mental health service utilization. Bivariate and Poisson regression analyses were conducted on the subset of participants with elevated depressive and anxiety symptoms to determine the extent of mental health service use during four different timeframes and the relationship between service use and sociodemographic variables. A total of 1,489 clergy participated. Of the 222 (15%) who had elevated anxiety or depressive symptoms or both, 49.1% had not ever or recently (in the past two years) seen a mental health professional. Participants were more likely to report using services currently or recently (in the past two years) if they were younger, had depression before age 21, or "very often" felt loved and cared for by their congregation. The rate of mental health service use among UMC clergy is comparable to the national average of service use by US adults with mental distress. However, it is concerning that 49% of clergy with elevated symptoms were not engaged in care. This study points to clergy subgroups to target for an increase in mental health service use. Strategies to support clergy and minimize mental health stigma are needed.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008605 Mental Health Services Organized services to provide mental health care. Mental Hygiene Services,Health Services, Mental,Services, Mental Health,Services, Mental Hygiene,Health Service, Mental,Hygiene Service, Mental,Hygiene Services, Mental,Mental Health Service,Mental Hygiene Service,Service, Mental Health,Service, Mental Hygiene
D002977 Clergy Persons ordained for religious duties, who serve as leaders and perform religious services. Chaplains,Clerics,Deacons,Imams,Ministers,Pastors,Priests,Rabbis,Chaplain,Cleric,Deacon,Imam,Minister,Pastor,Priest,Rabbi
D003863 Depression Depressive states usually of moderate intensity in contrast with MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER present in neurotic and psychotic disorders. Depressive Symptoms,Emotional Depression,Depression, Emotional,Depressive Symptom,Symptom, Depressive
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000328 Adult A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available. Adults
D001007 Anxiety Feelings or emotions of dread, apprehension, and impending disaster but not disabling as with ANXIETY DISORDERS. Angst,Anxiousness,Hypervigilance,Nervousness,Social Anxiety,Anxieties, Social,Anxiety, Social,Social Anxieties
D055815 Young Adult A person between 19 and 24 years of age. Adult, Young,Adults, Young,Young Adults
D033303 Protestantism The name given to all Christian denominations, sects, or groups rising out of the Reformation. Protestant churches generally agree that the principle of authority should be the Scriptures rather than the institutional church or the pope. (from W.L. Reese, Dictionary of Philosophy and Religion, 1999) Seventh-Day Adventists,Anglican Church,Anglicans,Baptist Church,Baptists,Episcopal Church,Episcopalians,Lutheran Church,Lutherans,Methodist Church,Methodists,Presbyterian Church,Presbyterians,Protestant Ethics,Protestants,Quakers,Society of Friends,Adventist, Seventh-Day,Adventists, Seventh-Day,Anglican,Baptist,Church, Anglican,Church, Baptist,Church, Episcopal,Church, Lutheran,Church, Methodist,Church, Presbyterian,Episcopalian,Ethic, Protestant,Ethics, Protestant,Friends Society,Lutheran,Methodist,Presbyterian,Protestant,Protestant Ethic,Quaker,Seventh Day Adventists,Seventh-Day Adventist

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