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Perceived Barriers and Facilitators to Help‐Seeking for Alcohol and Other Drug Use Among Australian Public Safety Personnel.

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Title: Perceived Barriers and Facilitators to Help‐Seeking for Alcohol and Other Drug Use Among Australian Public Safety Personnel.
Authors: Leung, Coleen (AUTHOR), Henry, Amelia (AUTHOR), Sercombe, Jayden (AUTHOR), Dobson, Olivia (AUTHOR), Sunderland, Matthew (AUTHOR), Marel, Christina (AUTHOR), Barrett, Emma (AUTHOR), Morse, Ashleigh K. (AUTHOR), Askovic, Mina (AUTHOR), Fisher, Alana (AUTHOR), Chatterton, Mary Lou (AUTHOR), Harvey, Logan (AUTHOR), Peach, Natalie (AUTHOR), Teesson, Maree (AUTHOR), Mills, Katherine L. (AUTHOR)
Source: Drug & Alcohol Review. May2026, Vol. 45 Issue 4, p1-12. 12p.
Subjects: Help-seeking behavior, Public safety, Corporate culture, Catalyst supports, Drug abuse, Psychological distress, Alcohol drinking, Sociology
Abstract: Introduction: Public safety personnel (PSP) (e.g., paramedics, firefighters, police and correctional officers) are at‐risk of using alcohol and other drugs in ways that could be considered harmful, potentially in response to the high exposure to traumatic events as part of their job. While existing research has investigated help‐seeking for mental health problems in PSP, to our knowledge, no studies have explored help‐seeking for substance use, representing a critical gap. This study aimed to identify perceived barriers and facilitators to help‐seeking for alcohol and other drug use among PSP, and examine their relationship with demographic, occupational, substance use and mental health characteristics. Methods: An online survey was completed by 539 PSP. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses identified two barrier domains (attitudinal, structural) and three facilitator domains (workplace, interpersonal, structural). Structural equation modelling was used to examine associations with participant characteristics and endorsement of barriers and facilitators. Results: Confidentiality and career harm were the most endorsed barriers, while managerial support and workplace culture were the most endorsed facilitators. Psychological distress was positively associated with both barrier domains, while alcohol‐related harm was negatively associated with barrier and facilitator domains. Age was the only significant demographic correlate, with older participants less likely to endorse workplace facilitators. Discussion and Conclusions: These findings highlight key modifiable factors that may promote help‐seeking and inform tailored workplace interventions to support PSP in managing substance use. Further research exploring the use of alcohol or other drugs in PSP is needed to better support those working to protect our communities. Key Point Summary: Stigma‐related barriers (e.g., confidentiality concerns, impacts on career) and workplace‐related facilitators (e.g., supportive workplace and managers) were perceived by public safety personnel to be the most important factors relating to help‐seeking.Psychological distress and alcohol‐related harm were significantly associated with endorsement of perceived barriers or facilitators to help‐seeking.Age was significantly associated with endorsement of perceived workplace facilitators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Drug & Alcohol Review is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
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  Data: Perceived Barriers and Facilitators to Help‐Seeking for Alcohol and Other Drug Use Among Australian Public Safety Personnel.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Leung%2C+Coleen%22">Leung, Coleen</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Henry%2C+Amelia%22">Henry, Amelia</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sercombe%2C+Jayden%22">Sercombe, Jayden</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Dobson%2C+Olivia%22">Dobson, Olivia</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sunderland%2C+Matthew%22">Sunderland, Matthew</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Marel%2C+Christina%22">Marel, Christina</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Barrett%2C+Emma%22">Barrett, Emma</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Morse%2C+Ashleigh+K%2E%22">Morse, Ashleigh K.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Askovic%2C+Mina%22">Askovic, Mina</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Fisher%2C+Alana%22">Fisher, Alana</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Chatterton%2C+Mary+Lou%22">Chatterton, Mary Lou</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Harvey%2C+Logan%22">Harvey, Logan</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Peach%2C+Natalie%22">Peach, Natalie</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Teesson%2C+Maree%22">Teesson, Maree</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Mills%2C+Katherine+L%2E%22">Mills, Katherine L.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Drug+%26+Alcohol+Review%22">Drug & Alcohol Review</searchLink>. May2026, Vol. 45 Issue 4, p1-12. 12p.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Help-seeking+behavior%22">Help-seeking behavior</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Public+safety%22">Public safety</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Corporate+culture%22">Corporate culture</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Catalyst+supports%22">Catalyst supports</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Drug+abuse%22">Drug abuse</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Psychological+distress%22">Psychological distress</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Alcohol+drinking%22">Alcohol drinking</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Sociology%22">Sociology</searchLink>
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  Data: Introduction: Public safety personnel (PSP) (e.g., paramedics, firefighters, police and correctional officers) are at‐risk of using alcohol and other drugs in ways that could be considered harmful, potentially in response to the high exposure to traumatic events as part of their job. While existing research has investigated help‐seeking for mental health problems in PSP, to our knowledge, no studies have explored help‐seeking for substance use, representing a critical gap. This study aimed to identify perceived barriers and facilitators to help‐seeking for alcohol and other drug use among PSP, and examine their relationship with demographic, occupational, substance use and mental health characteristics. Methods: An online survey was completed by 539 PSP. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses identified two barrier domains (attitudinal, structural) and three facilitator domains (workplace, interpersonal, structural). Structural equation modelling was used to examine associations with participant characteristics and endorsement of barriers and facilitators. Results: Confidentiality and career harm were the most endorsed barriers, while managerial support and workplace culture were the most endorsed facilitators. Psychological distress was positively associated with both barrier domains, while alcohol‐related harm was negatively associated with barrier and facilitator domains. Age was the only significant demographic correlate, with older participants less likely to endorse workplace facilitators. Discussion and Conclusions: These findings highlight key modifiable factors that may promote help‐seeking and inform tailored workplace interventions to support PSP in managing substance use. Further research exploring the use of alcohol or other drugs in PSP is needed to better support those working to protect our communities. Key Point Summary: Stigma‐related barriers (e.g., confidentiality concerns, impacts on career) and workplace‐related facilitators (e.g., supportive workplace and managers) were perceived by public safety personnel to be the most important factors relating to help‐seeking.Psychological distress and alcohol‐related harm were significantly associated with endorsement of perceived barriers or facilitators to help‐seeking.Age was significantly associated with endorsement of perceived workplace facilitators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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  Data: <i>Copyright of Drug & Alcohol Review is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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        Value: 10.1111/dar.70176
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      – Code: eng
        Text: English
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        PageCount: 12
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      – SubjectFull: Help-seeking behavior
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      – SubjectFull: Public safety
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      – SubjectFull: Corporate culture
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      – SubjectFull: Drug abuse
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      – SubjectFull: Psychological distress
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      – SubjectFull: Alcohol drinking
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              Text: May2026
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