BACKGROUND: Male suicide is a long-standing, inequitable health issue in Australia, with key prevention strategies based on increasing mental health services use. There is little research of the intersection of service use and men exhibiting suicidal thoughts and behaviours (STBs)
we examined patterns and factors influencing service use amongst males with STBs. METHODS: Data from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Male Health was used. Our sample was males who responded to questionnaires regarding STBs and consented with sharing linked service use records (N = 8793). Chi-square tests analysed prevalence of mental health service use between males with/without experiences of lifetime STBs. Multivariate Poisson regression models analysed associations between no STBs/suicidal thoughts/suicide attempts and use/predictors of services. RESULTS: 1749 (19.7 %) and 492 (5.5 %) males reported lifetime suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts respectively. Males with STBs had higher prevalences of mental health service use for 'at least once' and median number of service uses. Approximately half of males with lifetime STBs had never accessed mental health services. Males with suicidal thoughts versus attempts access services at similar rates. Factors associated with decreased service use were regional/rural locations, sexual minorities, disability, depressive symptoms and older age. LIMITATIONS: We utilised a cross-sectional analysis
further study would benefit from analysing longitudinal service use patterns. CONCLUSIONS: Males with lifetime STBs demonstrate increased mental health service use in the Australian adult male population. Large numbers of males with STBs have not engaged with mental health services. Targeted interventions should be considered to increase ensure engagement and equity of access.