Why Don't Some New Yorkers Seek Help? an in-Depth Examination of Service Non-Use in New York City

Background and Purpose:A recent survey by Columbia University’s Population Research Center revealed that nearly 4 in 10 New Yorkers experience material hardship including having utilities cut off, becoming homeless, and often not being able to provide adequate food or other basic needs for their families. Even though there are community organizations and government offices that could help, not everyone who needs help asks for it. Not asking for help can lead to escalating hardship and even more severe poverty. This study seeks to answer the following question: What factors or characteristics influence help seeking behavior among people experiencing material hardship?

Methods: This study uses a qualitative research design consisting of 70 in-depth semi-structured interviews drawn from a purposeful sub-sample of participants who participated in a survey conducted by the Columbia Population Research Center. The survey drew from a fixed panel of approximately 2,300 residents in New York City to provide a dynamic picture over time of poverty and how individuals cope with unemployment and financial shocks. This study sample drew from those participants whose income fell below 185 % of the poverty line, and who reported a need for services in one of 4 domains: (1) finding affordable housing; (2) help paying for food or bills; (3) unanticipated major expenses; (4) finding a job. To better understand what distinguishes non help seekers from help seekers the sample was distributed between those people who indicated in the initial survey they sought help, and those who didn’t. In depth semi-structured interviews were conducted, with respondents asked about their help seeking behavior from both government agencies and non-profit social services. The data was analyzed using thematic analysis.

Results:The findings indicate that respondents were more aware of the assistance available from government than non-profit agencies, and accessed government help when necessary and eligible, although they preferred to first seek assistance from family and friends. Those ineligible for government assistance, or who needed more than it could provide, failed to seek help from non-profit agencies because they did not know where to go for help or perceived such help as inadequate, or perceived themselves as not needy enough or feared what others may think. Asking for help in finding a job or affordable housing were considered less stigmatizing than asking for help with food or other similar essential needs. Those that did seek help relied on the advice and support of social networks.

Conclusions and Implications: Understanding the dynamics of help seeking behavior can help service providers design better and more effective programs to reduce poverty. The findings suggest that non-profit agencies should increase the visibility of their services, including reaching out to those individuals who do not seek assistance, while also seeking ways to reduce the stigma of asking for help. The use of more informal pathways, such as social networks, to encourage service use should also be explored.