Mental Health Literacy among the Students and Employees of Mariano Marcos State University

Abstract

Aim: To determine the Mental Health Literacy (MHL) of Mariano Marcos State University employees and students as to their ability to recognize a specific mental disorder, knowledge on the susceptibility of mental disorders, knowledge of self-treatments, knowledge of professional help available, knowledge on seeking mental health information, attitudes that promote recognition, and appropriate health-seeking behavior. Methods: This was a descriptive-comparative study which utilized Mental Health Literacy Scale tool adapted by Connor & Casey (2015) and Dias et al. (2018). The pilot tested survey questionnaire was administered to 490 students and 158 employees during the second semester of academic year 2020-2021. Descriptive statistics and T-test were used for analyses using p<0.05 as level of significance. Results: The results showed that the respondents’ MHL is sufficient as to all the variables. All variables comparing students’ and employees’ MHL were statistically not significant except for their knowledge on how to seek mental health information. There was also no significant statistical difference in all of the variables between teaching and non-teaching employees except for their ability to recognize a specific mental disorder. Majority of the respondents have enough knowledge and awareness to dispel most erroneous beliefs or stereotypes on individuals with mental health conditions, thus, they are more likely to approach those with mental health conditions appropriately and without stigma. Conclusion and Implications: Most of the respondents perceive that they have sufficient MHL. This is because of the increasing reach of mental health advocacies and campaigns especially in MMSU as well as other possible contributing factors such as personal experience, curricular offering, and specialization.