Depression and help-seeking behaviors among college students: Findings from the Healthy Minds Study 2018-2019.

Objective: To determine the likelihood of using and mental health services among college students according to prior history of depression diagnosis and presence of depression symptoms.

Participants: College students from 79 universities in the U.S. and Canada who participated in the Healthy Minds Study, 2018-2019.

Methods: Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals logistic regression were estimated for the likelihood of using informal and formal mental health services stratified by depression diagnosis and severity of depression symptoms and further stratified by race/ethnicity.

Results: We report increased odds of using mental health services with increasing depression severity symptoms and increased odds of using mental health services among students a clinical depression diagnosis. The odds of service utilization varied by race/ethnicity.

Conclusions: The likelihood of seeking mental health services differs depending on the history of formal depression diagnosis, current symptoms, and race/ethnicity among college students.