Stigma Predicts Treatment Preferences and Care Engagement Among Veterans Affairs Primary Care Patients with Depression

Background: Whereas stigma regarding mental health concerns exists, the evidence for stigma as a depression treatment barrier among patients in Veterans Affairs (VA) primary care (PC) is mixed. Purpose: This study tests whether stigma, defined as depression label avoidance, predicted patients’ preferences for depression treatment providers, patients’ prospective engagement in depression care, and care quality. Methods: We conducted cross-sectional and prospective analyses of existing data from 761 VA PC patients with probable major depression. Results: Relative to low-stigma patients, those with high stigma were less likely to prefer treatment from mental health specialists. In prospective controlled analyses, high stigma predicted lower likelihood of the following: taking medications for mood, treatment by mental health specialists, treatment for emotional concerns in PC, and appropriate depression care. Conclusions: High stigma is associated with lower preferences for care from mental health specialists and confers risk for minimal depression treatment engagement.