Table 3.
Reasons for not using virtual mental health services by category of mental distress.
| Category of mental distress | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Reason for not using virtual services | Moderate n (% of 637 respondents with moderate distress) | Severe n (% of 272 respondents with severe distress) | Moderate–severe n (% of 909 respondents with moderate & severe distress) a |
| Perceptions about resource availability and appropriateness | |||
| Didn’t feel I needed help | 284 (44.6) | 56 (20.6) | 340 (37.4) |
| I don’t think they would be helpful | 154 (24.2) | 84 (30.9) | 238 (26.2) |
| I prefer in-person health care supports | 151 (23.7) | 62 (22.8) | 213 (23.4) |
| I didn’t know these supports were available | 105 (16.5) | 57 (21.0) | 162 (17.8) |
| Time-, privacy-, and stigma-related concerns | |||
| Competing demands on my time | 75 (11.8) | 52 (19.1) | 127 (14.0) |
| Privacy concerns | 58 (9.1) | 41 (15.1) | 99 (10.9) |
| Stigma (I was afraid of what others would think of me) | 35 (5.5) | 38 (14.0) | 73 (8.0) |
| Internet and technology access | |||
| Connectivity issues (e.g. no/slow internet connection) | 24 (3.8) | 11 (4.0) | 35 (3.9) |
| Necessary equipment not available (e.g. computer, smart phone) | 16 (2.5) | 9 (3.3) | 25 (2.8) |
a
The number and percentages presented in this column total 1312 (144%) because participants could select more than one reason for not using virtual services.