A Meta Analysis of Stigma and Help-Seeking Behaviour among Persons Living with Mental Illness in Nigeria

Mental illness remains a major public health concern in Nigeria, yet stigma continues to impede access to professional mental healthcare and delay treatment among affected individuals. This paper therefore examined stigma and help-seeking behaviour among persons living with mental illness in Nigeria through a meta-analysis with the aim of synthesising existing empirical evidence on the prevalence and patterns of stigma, examining the relationship between stigma and help-seeking behaviour, and determining the effect of stigma on the utilisation of professional mental health services. The paper was anchored on Modified Labeling Theory which explains how anticipated and internalised stigma influence behavioural responses to mental illness. A meta-analysis approach was adopted. Relevant peer-reviewed empirical studies were systematically identified from recognised academic databases using predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Eligible studies were critically appraised, relevant data were extracted and findings were synthesised to establish recurring patterns and areas of convergence. The findings revealed that public stigma, self-stigma and perceived discrimination remain widespread among persons living with mental illness in Nigeria, with internalised stigma constituting a significant challenge. The synthesis further established a consistent inverse relationship between stigma and help-seeking behaviour, showing that fear of labelling and discrimination contributes to delayed treatment, preference for informal sources of care, poor treatment adherence and reduced utilisation of professional mental health services. The paper concludes that stigma remains a major social barrier to effective mental healthcare in Nigeria and continues to widen the treatment gap despite ongoing mental health reforms. It recommended sustained nationwide anti-stigma campaigns, effective integration of mental health services into primary healthcare and strengthened implementation of the Nigerian Mental Health Act to promote early help-seeking, improve treatment utilisation and enhance the wellbeing of persons living with mental illness.