ArticleBMJ open2021
Decision (not) to disclose mental health conditions or substance abuse in the work environment: a multiperspective focus group study within the military.
Article in BMJ open, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
9 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Disclosure of Mental Health Problems or Suicidality at Work: A Systematic Review.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2023Pooled it
- Occupational health challenges in commercial diving: a qualitative study of psychological risk, training gaps, and organisational responsibilities.Diving and hyperbaric medicine · 2026Article
- Mental Healthcare Professionals' Own Mental Health Disclosure to their Supervisor: Investigating Barriers and Facilitators, Experiences, and Needs.Journal of occupational rehabilitation · 2026Article
- Considering alcohol and other drug screening, brief intervention and referral to treatment in two safety-sensitive industries in Australia: An exploratory qualitative study.Addiction (Abingdon, England) · 2026Article
- Opportunities for enhanced suicide and suicidality surveillance in the Australian Army.Military psychology : the official journal of the Division of Military Psychology, American Psychological Association · 2026Article
- Workplace Mental Health Disclosure, Sustainable Employability and Well-Being at Work: A Cross-Sectional Study Among Military Personnel with Mental Illness.Journal of occupational rehabilitation · 2023Article
- Article
- Dutch workers' attitudes towards having a coworker with mental health issues or illness: a latent class analysis.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2023Article
- Expectations of Mental Illness Disclosure Outcomes in the Work Context: A Cross-Sectional Study Among Dutch Workers.Journal of occupational rehabilitation · 2022Article
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Authors and funding
9 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectivesMany workers in high-risk occupations, such as soldiers, are exposed to stressors at work, increasing their risk of developing mental health conditions and substance abuse (MHC/SA). Disclosure can lead to both positive (eg, support) and negative (eg, discrimination) work outcomes, and therefore, both disclosure and non-disclosure can affect health, well-being and sustainable employment, making it a complex dilemma. The objective is to study barriers to and facilitators for disclosure in the military from multiple perspectives.
designQualitative focus groups with soldiers with and without MHC/SA and military mental health professionals. Sessions were audiotaped and transcribed verbatim. Content analysis was done using a general inductive approach.
settingThe study took place within the Dutch military.
participantsIn total, 46 people participated in 8 homogeneous focus groups, including 3 perspectives: soldiers with MHC/SA (N=20), soldiers without MHC/SA (N=10) and military mental health professionals (N=16).
resultsFive barriers for disclosure were identified (fear of career consequences, fear of social rejection, lack of leadership support, lack of skills to talk about MHC/SA, masculine workplace culture) and three facilitators (anticipated positive consequences of disclosure, leadership support, work-related MHC/SA). Views of the stakeholder groups were highly congruent.
conclusionsAlmost all barriers (and facilitators) were related to fear for stigma and discrimination. This was acknowledged by all three perspectives, suggesting that stigma and discrimination are considerable barriers to sustainable employment and well-being. Supervisor knowledge, attitudes and behaviour were critical for disclosure, and supervisors thus have a key role in improving health, well-being and sustainable employment for soldiers with MHC/SA. Furthermore, adjustments could be made by the military on a policy level, to take away some of the fears that soldiers have when disclosing MHC/SA.
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