Factors affecting the uptake of mental health programs by employees of commercial banks in Nairobi County, Kenya

Abstract

Despite the risks associated with poor mental health, a significant portion of people worldwide do not have access to evidence-based mental health support, particularly in the lowest-resourced countries. Work and mental health are inextricably linked. Work may have a positive or negative impact on mental health, while mental ill health may affect work performance, productivity, and employment status. This study aimed to determine factors affecting the uptake of mental health programs among commercial banks in Nairobi County. The study specifically sought to determine the effect of ease of access, awareness, and self-efficacy on the uptake of mental health programs by employees of commercial banks in Nairobi County. The study adopted a positivist research philosophy with a descriptive cross-sectional research design. The target population of this study was the employees of the 38 commercial banks in Nairobi County. The study employed judgmental sampling to select 10 employees from one branch per commercial bank in Nairobi County to participate in the survey, thus forming the unit of analysis. The study adopted a quantitative approach to collecting and analyzing data using the latest version of the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS V28). For each specific objective, descriptive statistics, specifically mean and standard deviations, were used in analyzing the data. The results indicate that the predictors (ease of access, awareness, and self-efficacy) have a significant effect on the uptake of mental health programs among employees in commercial banks in Nairobi County. The regression analysis confirms that all three independent variables (ease of access, awareness, and self-efficacy) are statistically significant in predicting mental health program uptake. The study concluded that ease of access, awareness, and self-efficacy all had a positive and significant impact on the uptake of mental health programs by employees of commercial banks in Nairobi County. The study recommended that the policymakers should create regulations to improve mental health program access in commercial banks, run awareness campaigns, and provide clear guidelines on mental health resources. The study recommended the integration of social cognitive theory and the theory of planned behavior with the humanistic approach to better understand participation in mental health programs. The study recommended enhancing self-efficacy with training to encourage program utilization. The study also recommended that future research should examine the influence of workplace culture on employees' willingness to seek mental health support to identify best practices for reducing stigma and encouraging open conversations.