Mental Health Service Utilization and Barriers to Care among Kenyan Adolescents

This study examined mental health service utilization, sources of support, and barriers to helpseeking among Kenyan adolescents with depression and anxiety symptoms. Data were collectedfrom 2,907 students across 44 high schools. Most participants reported non-clinical levels ofdepression (71.31%) and anxiety (77.50%). Weak but statistically significant associations werefound between clinical symptom status and socio-demographic factors such as age, gender,household composition, religious affiliation, and academic self-perception. Adolescents withclinical symptoms were more likely to come from single-parent or parent-absent households andhave lower academic self-perception. Over half of the participants (52.56%) had not consideredseeking mental health support outside their immediate families; only 14.27% had sought such help.Friends were the most utilized source of external support, followed by relatives and religiousleaders, while professional sources were least used. Factor analysis identified two key barriers tohelp-seeking: structural-logistical obstacles and stigma-reluctance. Regression analyses showedthat male gender and structural barriers reduced the odds of seeking help, while higher grade level,extracurricular involvement, and positive academic self-perception increased the likelihood oftransitioning from non-consideration to help-seeking. Among adolescents with clinical symptoms,younger students and males were less likely to seek support. These findings highlight the need fortargeted, culturally grounded interventions that reduce barriers, integrate mental health servicesinto schools and communities, and strengthen peer and informal support systems to enhancemental health outcomes for adolescents in Kenya.