Levels Of Mental Health Literacy Research Articles

A-Systematic Review of the Level of Mental Health Literacy Among University Students Regarding Seeking Support From Counsellors in the UK

AimsIntroduction: Mental health literacy (MHL) is defined as “one's knowledge and beliefs about mental disorders” (Nishida-Hikiji et al., 2021). Additionally, it includes the capability to recognise specific disorders, distinguish risk factors and causes, recognise self-treatments and available professional help, and it is an attitude that encourages recognition and appropriate help-seeking (Jorm et al., 1997). Background: In the UK mental health problems are one of the main public health issues as it affects one in four individuals. It specifically has a high prevalence among university students which is between the ages of 16–24 years (Kessler et al., 2005)MethodsThe study design used for this study was a systematic literature review in which data were collected from PubMed, EBSCO and ScienceDirect using specific keywords in the advanced search. The amount of papers found were 953 after abstract screening for keywords only 34 papers were left and then final abstract and full-text article screening for the inclusion and exclusion criteria was done leaving it with only 8 papers. A quality assessment was done for the eight papers using CASP tool for RCT papers and EPHH tool for cross-sectional papers.ResultsThe findings showed that there are different levels of MHL between university students depending on their gender, education year, faculty and ethnicity. It was also found that the professional help seeking behaviour is not significantly different between genders but there was a difference regarding those identifying themselves as bisexuals despite them having high MHL scores.ConclusionIn conclusion the MHL of university students in the UK was found to be lower than those in Australia thus stating that more attention should be drawn to the issue and the need for easily accessible counselling services should be provided and promoted by universities. So that students can know about their existence and make good use of it whenever needed.

“Giros de Rua” - Revitalize physical and mental health in people with HIV through a psychosocial intervention program: a study protocol

IntroductionGiven the negative social representation attributed to mental illness, it is urgent to reconfigure its representation, not as an individual problem, but also as a collective. Several solutions have been indicated to improve the skills and quality of life (QoL) of these individuals. Among these, psychosocial rehabilitation programs stand out to keep individuals inserted in society reaching a level of independent functioning.ObjectivesThis study aims to: - assess the level of QoL, social support, treatment adherence, mental health status and mental health literacy of Portuguese people with HIV integrated into a community intervention program “InPulsar - Giros na Rua” program [which aims to contribute to the improvement of the socio-sanitary conditions of people who use psychoactive substances and to their social and therapeutic referral, as well as promoting risk reduction by intervening in a public space]; - improve mental health literacy levels, adherence to therapeutic regimen and QoL in individuals with HIV, after 12 months of implementation of a psychosocial rehabilitation program [biweekly sessions].MethodsWe will perform a single-group pre-experimental study with pre- and post-intervention evaluation, supported by the participatory methodology in health.ResultsThis study has received ethical approval from the local IRB. Data collection will start in November 2021 and will be completed in November 2022.ConclusionsThrough a multidisciplinary approach, this study will allow the development of health interventions articulated with psychosocial interventions based on various educational and behavioural strategies, promoting literacy and adherence to the therapeutic regimen.DisclosureNo significant relationships.

Mental Health Literacy, Help-Seeking, and Mental Health Outcomes in Women Rugby Players

Within rugby, a plethora of research has focused on male rugby players, with some recent attention being directed to examining their mental health. Such attention has not been evident for their female rugby counterparts. The aims of this study were to ascertain levels of mental health literacy (MHL) and explore demographic differences in United Kingdom semielite rugby players who identified as women, and examine whether MHL is associated with better mental health outcomes and general help-seeking intentions. In total, 208 semielite women rugby players completed an online multisection questionnaire measuring MHL, general help-seeking intentions, distress, and well-being. Overall, most players scored a low rating of well-being; however, those who indicated a previous mental health problem exhibited significantly higher levels of MHL. Players were more likely to display general help-seeking intentions toward an intimate partner or a friend than a health care professional. High levels of distress were reported in 64.4% of players, particularly those who had been previously medically diagnosed with a mental disorder and bisexual rugby players. MHL was significantly, positively correlated with general help-seeking intentions, but not significantly correlated with distress or well-being. This study is the first to examine MHL in women rugby players and suggests that strategies devised by multidisciplinary teams of experts to help promote, engage, and offer tailored mental health support to women rugby players would be beneficial. Further investigations exploring the determinants of, and barriers to, MHL among women rugby players would be worthwhile to better understand and support players throughout their sporting career.

Barriers to the use of mental health services by Syrian refugees in Jordan: a qualitative study.

More than 650 000 Syrian refugees are hosted in Jordan. Refugees are at high risk of mental health problems. To explore the perspectives of Syrian refugees and their host communities and community leaders in Jordan on barriers and facilitators to the use of mental health services by Syrian refugees. A qualitative descriptive design was used to collect data through individual, semistructured interviews conducted between May and December 2019 in Jordan. A purposive sample was recruited from different sites. Twenty-four individual interviews were conducted: 16 for the clients and 8 for the community leaders. Three themes emerged as barriers to accessing mental health services: (1) lack of awareness of mental illness and available services; (2) availability, accessibility and affordability of mental health services; and (3) stigma and social discrimination. Findings show that respondents had low mental health literacy levels. Policy-makers, care providers and decision-makers should take the findings of this study into consideration by facilitating the use of mental health services through awareness-raising about mental illness and the provision of services at primary health care centres. Making the service available near to the people who require it and incorporating mental health services into a broad-based community environment such as schools, primary health centres, or case management system are recommended as a common strategy that could help address refugee needs.

Mental health literacy in India and Australia and its relationship to attitudes towards LGBT people

ABSTRACT Research on the mental health of people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT) often emphasises individual vulnerability to mental health issues. However, attitudes towards LGBT individuals may also contribute to their experiences of minority stress. In the present study, the relationship between mental health literacy (MHL) and attitudes towards LGBT individuals in Australia and India was investigated. Seven-hundred and eleven participants (355 male) from Australia (n = 303) and India (n = 408) completed an online survey which included questionnaires indexing the participants’ MHL and their attitudes towards LGBT individuals. MHL was associated with attitude scores, such that participants with higher levels of MHL tended to report more positive attitudes towards LGBT individuals. These relationships were stronger for Australian participants compared to Indian participants. These findings suggest that minority stress may be intensified for LGBT individuals when the MHL of the people they interact with is low. Alternatively, MHL may signal how willing an individual is to offer mental health support to a LGBT person. The present results also highlight the influence of cultural context on MHL and the need to consider this when examining attitudes towards LGBT individuals.

The Determinants of Mental Health Literacy among Young Adolescents in Malaysia.

Mental health literacy (MHL) is an established multifaceted concept that comprises mental health knowledge, help-seeking, and stigma. Adequate MHL (i.e., the ability to correctly recognize mental health disorders alongside having the intention to seek help) is able improve mental health outcomes among individuals. This study aims to examine the determinants of MHL among young Malaysian adolescents. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 1400 adolescents between 13 and 14 years old from nine national secondary schools in Selangor state, Malaysia. Sociodemographic determinants assessed included gender, age, ethnicity, smoking status, alcohol consumption, history of being bullied, feeling lonely, parental marital status, and parental income which were assessed using the Global School Based Student Health Survey. MHL was assessed using the Mental Health Literacy and Stigma questionnaire. Several factors were significantly associated with adequate levels of MHL following multivariate analysis, such as being female (AOR = 1.68; 95% CI 1.12, 2.52), older adolescents (AOR = 1.56; 95% CI 1.07, 2.30), not smoking (AOR = 1.99; 95% CI 1.20, 4.26), not consuming alcohol (AOR = 1.23; 95% CI 1.18, 2.41), and not feeling lonely (AOR = 1.25; 95% CI 1.06, 1.85). Addressing these determinants could be key in assisting the development of policies and programs to prevent mental health disorders among adolescents, which are currently on the rise.

Mental health literacy: a systematic review of the measurement instruments

Background: Mental health literacy has become increasingly important as an empowerment tool in the field of mental health. Any intervention should always be preceded by a clear diagnosis of the situation. Objectives: To identify mental health literacy measurement instruments among adults living in a given community. Methods: An integrativereview of theliterature wasconducted using the PICOD method bysearching thefollowing scientific databases: PubMed, SciELO, LILACS, MEDLINE, EBSCO, Cochrane Library and EMBASE. The JBI critical appraisal checklist for methodological quality was used and the PRISMA guidelines were taken into account to critically assess the quality of the studies included in this work. Three articles met the inclusion criteria and were therefore included in the study. Results: Three instruments for assessing mental health literacy were identified: the MHLS, the MHKQ and the MAKS. The assessment of the methodological and psychometric quality of each of these instruments demonstrated that one of the studies showed a very good level of reliability, another study showed an acceptable level of reliability, whereas the last one showed a poor level of reliability. Conclusion: These results show that the MHLS is the best validated assessment tool for health care professionals. Given the limited number of primary studies identified, the construction of an instrument to assess the level of positive mental health literacy in the community is crucial.

Reliability and Validity of the Positive Mental Health Literacy Scale in Turkish Adolescents.

The present study aims to determine the reliability and validity of the Positive Mental Health Literacy Scale in the Turkish language. The sample of the present methodological study included 457 adolescents. The data were collected between February 10, 2019, and May 31, 2019, with a socio-demographic data form and the Positive Mental Health Literacy Scale. The scale was first translated to the Turkish language, expert opinion was obtained, and a pilot scheme was conducted. The content validity index was employed to test the validity of the scale, confirmatory and exploratory factor analyses were conducted to test the construct validity, item analysis was conducted to test the reliability of the scale, Cronbach's alpha analysis was employed to determine internal consistency, and the test-retest scores were compared to determine time invariance. The scale is unidimensional. The content validity analysis of the scale was 0.97. Scale item loads varied between 0.56 and 0.72 based on the confirmatory factor analysis. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient of the scale was 0.87, and the test-retest score was intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.739 (P < . 001). The mean participant score on the positive mental health literacy scale was 2.9 (SD=0.9). The validity and reliability findings in the study that was conducted to adapt the Positive Mental Health Literacy Scale to the Turkish language revealed that the scale could be used to measure the mental health literacy of adolescents. The Turkish version of the scale could be used in programs that aim to identify positive mental health literacy levels of adolescents in Turkish society.

Potential Application for First Responder Organisations of Desensitisation and Reprocessing Treatment for Individuals with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

This literature review discusses the impact and nature of traumatic experiences of first responders, focusing on their ability to cope with the cognitive and behavioural symptoms associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). First responders are defined as police, fire, ambulance, military, public health service workers, and state, local, and volunteer agencies, who protect and safeguard communities. First responders disproportionately suffer from PTSD; symptoms often lead to inability to continue their duties. Individuals and organisations should consider how individuals recover from PTSD. This paper reviews literature on PTSD interventions and recommends Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy for treatment of PTSD in first responders. The literature review explored effective treatment options for overcoming PTSD and found an embedded culture in first responder organisations of cognitive avoidance, which results in reduced help seeking behaviours. Poor help-seeking behaviours correlate with high levels of PTSD and psychological distress, low levels of mental health literacy, and career issues. This paper discusses how EMDR is a potential and effective therapy to reduce symptoms of PTSD in first responders. Evidence reviewed in this paper suggests EMDR should be used as a treatment option for first responders to help reformulate negative thoughts/beliefs associated with exposure to traumatic events.

Correlates of mental health literacy among first-generation Korean American immigrant women

ABSTRACT Korean American immigrants historically have and continue to underutilize mental health services and treatment. A lower level of mental health literacy has been found to account for low rates of mental health services. This study examined mental health literacy and its correlates in a sample of first-generation Korean American immigrant women (N = 243) from a large metro area in the Southeast U.S. Those with higher English proficiency, social support, and lower depression levels were more likely to have higher mental health literacy levels. Strategies to increase mental health literacy among Korean American immigrant women are discussed.

Symposium

Backround:Mental illnesses such as depression are more stigmatized in older generation (Generation X) for whom the subject is a complete taboo attached with various misconceptions. The unfortunate complex of inferiority as a mental health patient is usually what widens the generation gap even further. This mind-set actually creates more problems as they choose to avoid accepting the existence of it, consequently setting an even longer path of suffering without therapy.Furthermore, several studies suggested that younger generations have higher levels of mental health literacy, meaning that they are better able to identify signs and symptoms of mental illness and have knowledge of where to seek help. Internet use might be related to MHL in younger generations. However, its relationship with seeking help and a diagnosis is complex. Although younger people report being more comfortable seeking mental help online, this could mean that they do not receive a professional diagnosis. A study conducted by the American University in DC, states that millennial’s who grew up hearing about anxiety, depression, eating disorders, and suicide were more accepting of others with mental illness.One of the factors that really affect the likelihood of conversation around mental health is the notion of choice. Mental illness is never chosen, it is a state of being that needs to be addressed, not concealed. The idea that you can just ‘switch off’ or ‘stop over-thinking’ about your psychological state still exists within the Generation X. Unfortunately, cliché religious and cultural remedies that were passed on from generations to deal with periods of distress were all they had at their disposal. The generation gap actually consists of a gap of misinformation andarchaic solutions that need unlearning to understand the evolving mental health disorders of a digitally advanced world where scientific knowledge is easily accessible.

A study to evaluate the leadership skills, personality types, leadership styles, and mental health status of first-Phase MBBS students of a peripheral medical college in West Bengal

Background: Medical education is one of the most stressful academic curricula across the globe and it is important for all students to have leadership and management skills because all physicians need to take responsibility as team leaders. Aims: To evaluate the leadership skills, personality types, leadership styles, and mental health status and study the correlation between mental health and leadership skills of first-phase MBBS students in a peripheral Medical College in West Bengal. Methodology and Participants: This study was conducted among first-phase MBBS students after taking institutional ethical clearance and informed consent of the participants. The participants were provided with two recorded YouTube videos which included mental health, leadership, and professionalism. Live interactive sessions were conducted. The participants had to fill up six questionnaires for assessment of leadership skills, personality types, leadership styles, perceived stress scores (PSSs) levels, mental health literacy levels, and DASS-21 scores. Feedback was taken from students. Results: One hundred and thirty-seven students could complete all tasks and so they were only included for analysis of data. One hundred and six students had PSS levels below 20 and thirty-one students had PSS levels of 20 or above. Mean ± SD of the different parameters assessed were as follows: PSS levels: 16.92 ± 4.16; Mental health literacy scores: 99.54 ± 15.31; Authoritative score: 7.85 ±1.45; Democratic score: 9.35 ± 1.7; Facilitative score: 9.52 ± 1.59; Situational score: 9.29 ± 2.54; Leadership skills test scores: 63.85 ± 14.59. DASS 21 scores: Depression: 11.45 ± 4.03; Anxiety: 12.3 ± 4.35; Stress: 15.1 ± 3.29. PSS was negatively correlated with leadership skill test scores and mental health literacy scores. Leadership skill test scores were positively correlated with mental health literacy scores. There was no significant difference between male and female students in respect of PSS levels, mental health literacy scores, leadership skill scores, authoritative scores, democratic scores, facilitative scores, and situational scores. Conclusions: Increased mental health literacy and decreased perceived stress levels were two causes of improved leadership skill test scores in the present study. Students were satisfied with the leadership skills taught to them and this study increased awareness about mental health and leadership among first-phase MBBS students.

Mental health literacy amongst children with common mental health problems and their parents in Java, Indonesia: a qualitative study.

Optimising mental health literacy (MHL) at the individual and population level can be an effective mental health improvement and prevention tool. However, concepts of MHL are largely based on evidence from high-income countries. Little is known about the manifestation and role of MHL in countries where collectivist health and social cultures are dominant. This study aimed to examine the MHL of Indonesian children and young people (CYP) with experience of common mental health problems and their parents. Semi-structured interviews with 40 participants (19 CYP aged 11-15 with experience of common mental health problems and 21 parents) from three areas of Java, Indonesia. Data were analysed using framework analysis, informed by Jorm's 1997 Mental Health Literacy Framework. Parents and CYP demonstrated relatively low levels of MHL defined from a conventional perspective. Religiosity and spirituality were salient in participants' accounts, particularly parents, as were narratives about personal responsibility. These beliefs appeared to contribute to a high level of self-blame for mental illness, self-reliance for symptom management, the foregrounding of support from spiritual/traditional healers and a reduced propensity to access professional help. CYP were heavily reliant on family support, but parents often felt they were not best placed to communicate with their children about mental health. Providing trusted, technology-based sources of mental health information were advocated by CYP. Robust efforts are needed to improve MHL in low- and middle-income countries drawing on culturally appropriate approaches to reduce stigma and optimise timely, effective help-seeking for CYP. Enhancing parental and family level literacy may be efficacious, especially when combined with mechanisms to facilitate open communication, as may the development of standalone interventions directly developed to reach younger generations. Future research may usefully establish the comparative efficacy and acceptability of these different approaches.

Mental Health Literacy of University Students in Vietnam and Cambodia

Mental health literacy (MHL) refers to knowledge and attitudes that shape the recognition, management, and prevention of mental disorders. While the topic has been exhaustively researched in Western countries, research from Southeast Asia still is limited. Previous studies in this field showed a moderate recognition of mental disorders, a high prevalence of stigmatizing attitudes and a low willingness to seek professional help among Southeastern-Asian populations. This study explored the level of MHL among university students from different parts of Vietnam and Cambodia. Correlations with influencing factors (gender, age, study year, educational attainment of the parents, urban/rural origin, ethnicity, personal experiences with mental disorders) were also explored. An online survey, using a 30-item Vietnamese version of the Mental Health Literacy Scale (MHLS), was conducted at six university sites in Vietnam and Cambodia. Data of 1032 students from different study branches were included. The MHL of Vietnamese and Cambodian university students was lower, compared to samples from Australia or the UK. Females and students with a personal experience of mental disorders (self or family) showed a significantly higher MHL. No differences in MHL were found between students from different socioeconomic backgrounds (professional attainment of parents, urban/rural origin). Findings on the influence of ethnicity were inconclusive. MHL needs to be improved among the university students of Vietnam and Cambodia. Mental health promotion should specifically target male students, students from STEM branches, and international students.

COVID-19 in Brazil: Are there any differences in Mental Health Literacy between young and aged men?

to analyze the Mental Health Literacy of young and aged men living in Brazil in the COVID-19 pandemic context. a qualitative study conducted with 87 men by means of an asynchronous online survey. The data were processed in the NVIVO12® software, structured with the Collective Subject Discourse method and analyzed through Anthony Jorm's theoretical concept of Mental Health Literacy. six central ideas emerged from the analysis of a synthesis discourse on the components of the Mental Health Literacy, namely: Ability to recognize specific disorders or different types of psychological distress; Knowledge and beliefs about risk factors and causes; Knowledge and beliefs about self-help interventions; Knowledge and beliefs about available professional help; Attitudes that facilitate recognition and the search for adequate help; and Knowledge on how to seek information on mental health. there are differences in the mental health literacy of young and aged men living in Brazil during the COVID-19 pandemic. Aged men were more competent for mental health care management and protection than young men, in relation to the Mental Health Literacy levels.

COVID-19 no Brasil: existem diferenças no letramento em saúde mental entre homens jovens e idosos?

Objective: to analyze the Mental Health Literacy of young and aged men living in Brazil in the COVID-19 pandemic context. Method: a qualitative study conducted with 87 men by means of an asynchronous online survey. The data were processed in the NVIVO12® software, structured with the Collective Subject Discourse method and analyzed through Anthony Jorm’s theoretical concept of Mental Health Literacy. Results: six central ideas emerged from the analysis of a synthesis discourse on the components of the Mental Health Literacy, namely: Ability to recognize specific disorders or different types of psychological distress; Knowledge and beliefs about risk factors and causes; Knowledge and beliefs about self-help interventions; Knowledge and beliefs about available professional help; Attitudes that facilitate recognition and the search for adequate help; and Knowledge on how to seek information on mental health. Conclusion: there are differences in the mental health literacy of young and aged men living in Brazil during the COVID-19 pandemic. Aged men were more competent for mental health care management and protection than young men, in relation to the Mental Health Literacy levels.

A Review of the Perceptions of Mental Illness and Mental Health Literacy in Indonesia

Perceptions of mental health are often influenced by religious, sociopolitical and cultural beliefs, as well as differing views, values and attitudes towards the medical model of diagnosis, the potential causes of mental health disorders, and the approaches to mental health treatment and management. Six percent of the population of Indonesia, the fourth most populous nation in the world, struggle with mental illness. With strained mental health systems, pathways to improved mental health are further complicated by stigmatizing perceptions of mental illness and a significant lack of mental health literacy. These differing levels of mental health literacy in turn act to prompt help-seeking behaviours towards mental health services and treatment. The current article aims to explore the different perceptions towards mental illness and the levels of mental health literacy among Indonesians from research literature of the past twenty years. By garnering a wider understanding of the aspects that contribute towards the perceptions of mental health, researchers may be better equipped to improve and develop approaches towards increasing mental health literacy and improving mental health related help seeking behaviours of the overall Indonesian population.

Investigation of the relationship between mental health literacy of adults and attitude towards seeking psychological help and stigma by the immediate environment.

This study aims to examine the relationship between mental health literacy and attitudes toward psychological help-seeking and stigma by the immediate environment. This descriptive and cross-sectional research was conducted with 352 parents in 2021. It was observed that there was a significant positive relationship between mental health literacy level and attitude toward psychological help-seeking. There was a negative relationship between mental health literacy level and stigma by the immediate environment. The results point to the need for interventions to improve mental health literacy in society.

Is mental health literacy related to different types of coping? Comparing adolescents, young-adults and adults correlates

Introduction: Mental health literacy is associated with better mental health outcomes and believed to improve the way people cope with life challenges and manage mental health issues. Nevertheless, no study has yet empirically examined the relationships between mental health literacy and the use of coping strategies. Aims: This study aims to describe the levels of mental health literacy (literacy about mental illness and literacy about positive mental health) and the use of coping (coping styles) in adolescents, young-adults and adults; To explore the relationship between coping and mental health literacy in each age group; To compare if patterns of significant correlations vary across groups. Methods: This is a cross-sectional / exploratory design study. We have collected online and through paper-pencil method three developmental samples: adolescents aged between 15-18 years old (N=240), young-adults aged between 19-36 (74) and adults aged between 37-75 (N=105). Measures used were: Positive Mental Health Questionnaire PosMHLitq (Maia de Carvalho et al., in preparation) to evaluate literacy about positive mental health; the Mental Health Literacy Questionnaire MHLq (Campos et al., 2016; Dias et al., 2018) and the Portuguese adaptation of the Brief Cope by Pais Ribeiro and Tavares (2004) to control coping styles. Results: Across the three developmental groups, most coping styles are associated with both literacy about mental illness and literacy about mental well-being, but with different patterns of correlation between coping/literacy about mental well-being/coping/literacy about mental illness and between groups. The Use of Emotional Support is the only coping style significantly associated with both mental health literacy about mental illness and literacy about mental well-being in adolescents, young-adults and adults. Conclusions: Future research should examine this findings with longitudinal design.

Mental health literacy and quality of life in Iran: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundMental health is one of the effective factors in the quality of life of people. The aim of the present study was to determine the status of mental health literacy (MHL) and its relationship with the quality of life across the Iranian general population.MethodsIn this cross-sectional study, a multi-stage sampling method was used to survey 1070 participants from the city of Gonabad (Iran). The data collection tools were demographics section, mental health literacy scale (MHLS), and quality of life (SF-12) questionnaires. The data was analyzed by SPSS software version 24 using Independent sample t- test, One- way ANOVA, Pearson correlation, and logistic regression.ResultsThe mean and standard deviation of the total scores of MHL and quality of life were 113.54 (10.34) and 35.26 (6.42), respectively. The results revealed that there was a significant positive correlation between MHL and the quality of life (p < 0.001). In this study, there was a significant relationship between variables of sex, level of education, plus received information about mental illness and MHL (p < 0.001). The quality of life was higher in participants whose family members did not have a mental illness, had a high-income level, and received information about mental illness (p < 0.001). Logistic regression indicated that there was a significant relationship between the ability to recognize mental disorders plus knowledge of where to seek information and obtaining information related to mental health (p < 0.001).ConclusionBased on the results of this study, there was a correlation between health literacy and quality of life, and more attention should be paid to MHL. Thus, appropriate programs should be designed and implemented to enhance the level of MHL.