Meyer-Weitz, Anna.Naidoo, Kirschnee.2026-01-262026-01-2620242024https://hdl.handle.net/10413/24268Doctoral Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal Durban.Background: Over-indebtedness is where a consumer spends more than they earn and are unable to pay their debts timeously over a period of time often resulting in legal action due to non-payment of debts. This is a global and South African phenomenon that affects consumers globally and nationally on personal, social and contextual levels. Psychological consequences of over-indebtedness (such as stress) in the Public Sector, and factors that impact financial help-seeking behaviour (such as stigma and self-efficacy) are lacking. The financial wellness programmes (FWP) offered through the employee wellness programme (EWP) was introduced by the public sector to address over-indebtedness but little attention has been paid to barriers in accessing the FWP. Methods: Set in the Department of Health (DoH) Kwa Zulu-Natal, a case study approach using a convergent mixed-methods design was adopted to understand the psychosocial consequences of over-indebtedness and the barriers that prevented financial help-seeking behaviour from the FWP. In phase one the research instruments were developed and refined. Phase two comprised a cross-sectional survey among employees (n = 1132) to investigate the phenomenon of over-indebtedness, psychosocial issues (stress, coping strategies), and factors impacting financial help-seeking behaviour (availability, accessibility, utilisation of the FWP and its approval). Descriptive and multivariate statistics were utilised in alignment with the aims and objectives of the study. Concurrently, the qualitative focus group discussions were conducted among 14 employee wellness practitioners (EWP) on their perspectives of the Financial Wellness Programme in terms of utilisation, challenges faced, and help-seeking behaviours of employees. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. Results: The survey data suggested that half the participants perceived themselves as being over-indebted and 23% were legally indebted. Both formal and unsecured credit contributed to over- and legal indebtedness. Various forms of credit were accessed with those reported being legally indebted with greater access to credit. Poor money management contributed significantly to perceived indebtedness and legal indebtedness. Poor coping mechanisms (such as substance abuse, increased absenteeism and suicidal ideation), compounded by stigma and low self-efficacy, were found to negatively impact debt help-seeking behaviours from the FWP. The quality of the FWP was rated as average by 40% while 25% rated it as poor. The EWP stated that poor financial management and reliance on credit results in over-indebtedness. Various organisational factors seemed to impede the success of the FWP e.g. poor marketing, budget allocation, and a lack of buy-in from management and employees. Confidentiality, accessibility, acceptability, and availability of the FWP were identified as essential to ensure proper utilisation of the FWP. Results of the qualitative study supported the quantitative findings that debt stigma and lower levels of self-efficacy negatively influence debt help-seeking behaviour. Conclusions and Recommendations: Indebtedness is prevalent within the DoH. Credit commitments indicate that employees tend to spend more than they earn. Financial challenges result in psychological distress, and absenteeism. Avoidance behaviours, fear of stigma and low self-efficacy are barriers to seeking help from the FWP. In order to support indebted employees, organisational commitment to, and mandatory participation in FWP, is likely to destigmatise the FWP and ensure greater accessibility to all employees. This will likely assist all in better financial management, decision making, and provide a way of coping with stressors.enCC0 1.0 Universalhttp://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/Over-indebtedness.Debt help-seeking.Self-efficacy.Financial wellness programme.Thesis