Sammanfattning
Background: Adolescent males have a low rate of seeking help for mental health problems. The
onset for many psychiatric disorders occur during the adolescence. Previous studies have identified
previous help seeking, parental opinion, parental divorce and suicidal thoughts as factors associated
with contacting mental health services. Yet studies on the rate of use of mental health services
remain few, as do studies concerning factors associated with use of mental health services. Aims: To
study prevalence and risk factors of use of mental health services among Finnish adolescent males.
Methods: Factors associated with use of mental health services during the preceding 12 months were
studied in a general population sample of 4309 men attending military call-up in 2009. The mean age
was 18.3 ± 0.45 years. Results: Within the previous 12 months, 3.2% of men had used mental health
services and an additional 2.3% had considered contacting mental health services. Factors
associated with service use were living alone, having a poor paternal relationship, having no contact
with father, death of father, high internalizing symptoms, suicidal thoughts, regular smoking and use
of illicit drugs. Frequent drunkenness was associated with mental health service use, whereas
occasional use of alcohol was inversely associated with use of mental health services. Conclusions:
The rate of mental health service use among males in late adolescence is very low. The inability of
young people to contact service providers should be addressed more efficiently. Clinical
implications: A majority of the troubled men did not contact professionals for help, although
approximately a quarter of the men had a self-perceived mental health problem. A major challenge is
to find ways for mental health services to be made more accessible to adolescent males.