Sei sulla pagina 1di 33

MENTAL HEALTH LITERACY AND

MENTAL HEALTH STATUS


AMONG ADOLESCENTS
By Adrienne Santos

Mental Health Literacy and Mental Health Status in


Adolescents: A Population-based Survey Journal Article by
Lawrence T. Lam

Mental Health Literacy


Knowledge and beliefs about mental disorders which aid their

recognition, management or prevention (Jorm et al.)


Characteristics
Ability to recognize specific disorders
Causes of specific disorders
Treatment for mental disorders
Risk factors

Study is aimed at whether low mental health literacy


would relate to an increase of mental health problems.

Mental Health Literacy and Mental Health Status in Adolescents:


A Population-based Survey Lawrence T. Lam
Adequate Mental Health Literacy Level
Recognition of the disorder
Intention to seek help

Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale (DASS)


Depression sub scale
Assess depressive symptoms
Proved to give valid information
Suggested to be effective among children and adolescents

Mental Health Literacy and Mental Health Status in Adolescents:


A Population-based Survey Lawrence T. Lam
October 2013
Conducted in Nanning, capital of Guanxi Province in China
Est. Pop: 6.7 million, 505677 adolescents
Sample: Students (aged 13-17) from 12 different high schools

Questionnaire Included questions about:


Recognition of disorder
Intended actions/perceived barriers
Intentions about first aid
Beliefs about interventions and prevention
Stigmatizing attitudes and social distance
Exposure to mental disorders

Mental Health Literacy and Mental Health Status in Adolescents:


A Population-based Survey Lawrence T. Lam
RESULTS
98% response rate
14.8% exhibit moderate to severe symptoms of depression
68% displayed the intention to seek help if it were needed
16.4% had an adequate literacy level
Mental Health Literacy significantly associated with depression
60% chance of those showing signs of moderate to severe
depression having an inadequate MHL level
Only 23.4% correctly recognized depression
Inadequate mental health literacy levels are greatly associated with
moderate to severe levels of depression.

Mental Health Literacy and Mental Health Status in Adolescents:


A Population-based Survey Lawrence T. Lam
Inadequate MHL levels could imply that respondents may

have had a lack of personal experience of being in a


depressive mood.
Adolescents in the country of study may mislabel and
incorrectly identify symptoms.
Adolescents may have a lack of knowledge and
understanding of the symptoms they experience
Or this can be due to stigmatization related to any mental
disorder

Mental Health Literacy and Mental Health Status in Adolescents:


A Population-based Survey Lawrence T. Lam
Suggestions
Educating adolescents about mental issues and how to get help could aid

in increasing mental health outcomes.


Encouraging a positive attitude a positive attitude plays a large role in
changing depressive behavior.
The identification of the problem, as well as a positive outlook to fix it,
would likely result in improved behavior and mental status.

Conclusion
Mental health literacy is a probably factor that could be greatly affecting

the mental health status of adolescents.


Improving mental health literacy should be considered an essential
preventive measure of mental health problems for adolescents.

Mental Health Literacy and Mental Health Status in Adolescents:


A Population-based Survey Lawrence T. Lam
Commentary
Not a lot of people are aware of how important mental health is, and that

could be why there are more and more people who show symptoms of
depression nowadays.
Mental health literacy is important. If the problem concerning the lack of it
will not go away it is likely that more and more cases of mental disorders
will just keep occurring.
It is a fact that there are a number of people with mental disorders, and
the best way to help them is simply by educating. If people are unaware
of the problem, then they cant possibly know how to solve it. Awareness
is the first step, and thats what mental health literacy is all about.
The world has outgrown the habits of ignoring emotions and stigmatizing
mental disorders.
Mental disorders are real, depression is real, and accepting that fact
would be the first step to change it.

Finding Space to Mental Health Promoting mental health


in adolescents: Pilot study Journal Article by L. Campos, P. Dias & F. Palha
Focus
Executed due do the lack of methodical health education proposals

regarding mental health in Portugal.


Pilot study
Qualitative study to create a Mental Health Literacy
Questionnaire
Mental Health Promotion Intervention

Study is aimed at promoting mental health literacy among young


people in a school-based environment.

Finding Space to Mental Health Promoting mental health in


adolescents: Pilot study L. Campos, P. Dias & F. Palha
Sample: 70 students aged 12-14 years old attending a private

secondary school in Portugal

Questionnaire 3 sections:
1.

Knowledge
Prevalence and characteristics of mental health problems
Risk factors
Symptoms of mental disorders
Impact and stereotypes concerning mental health problems

2.

First Aid Skills & Help Seeking


Issues about informal and formal help seeking
First Aid skills

3.

Self-help Strategies
Questions related to behaviors
Attitudes that promote health

Finding Space to Mental Health Promoting mental health in


adolescents: Pilot study L. Campos, P. Dias & F. Palha
Mental Health Promotion Intervention
Two 90-minute sessions executed with a one-week interval
First session
Exploration of students knowledge and beliefs about physical and mental
health and illness
Exploration of mental health problems signs
Impact and risk factors
Identification of symptoms and signs of mental disorders
Promotion of non-stigmatized behaviors towards mental disorders
Second session (Goals)
Explore beliefs related to mental disorders
Raise awareness of the students regarding mental health problems and their
impact
Identify formal and informal help-seeking options
Promote First Aid skills towards people with mental health problems
Address self-help strategies

Finding Space to Mental Health Promoting mental health in


adolescents: Pilot study L. Campos, P. Dias & F. Palha
RESULTS
Participants scored relatively high scores in all three sections of

the Mental Health Literacy questionnaire during the pre-test


Could be due to private school setting & high rate of employment of caregivers

Greater mental health literacy is associated to fewer stereotypes of

mental disorders
Younger peoples greater capability to know and find help and support
Development of more suitable mental health promoting behaviors
Increased capacity to learn more about mental health
Greater motivation to help

Students had relevant information gaps


Some students had difficulty in differentiating between some

physical and mental disabilities.

Finding Space to Mental Health Promoting mental health in


adolescents: Pilot study L. Campos, P. Dias & F. Palha
Commentary
It is important for the younger generations to be educated on
mental health literacy because the future of the world lies in
the hands of the youth.
Interventions should eventually branch out to public schools
It is more likely that adolescents in poorer classes would have more

mental health problems because of household issues


It is more likely that they would have less adequate mental health
literacy

Mental health literacy should be a part of every schools

program, especially here in the Philippines, where corruption


is rampant and better leaders are much needed.

Evaluating Mental Health Literacy and Adolescent


Depression: What do teenagers know? Journal Article by J. McCarthy,
M. Bruno, T. Fernandez

Focus
Pilot study about mental health literacy as it relates to depression in

adolescents.
Depression often goes undiagnosed and untreated in adolescence
however it can extend into adulthood
The DSM-IV states that the diagnostic characteristics and duration
are similar to adult depression
Symptoms like being in a depressed mood or losing pleasure/interest
Depressed mood can manifest as an irritable mood in adolescents

The main goal of doing the study was to observe the level of
adolescents mental health literacy specific to adolescent
depression.

Evaluating Mental Health Literacy and Adolescent Depression:


What do teenagers know? J. McCarthy, M. Bruno, T. Fernandez
Sample: Students from 8 sections of Indiana University of

Pennsylvanias psychology and anthropology classes

Questionnaire Friend In Need


Enumerates 5 vignettes/situations of adolescents experiencing
different hardships
Calls for both close and open-ended answers from the
participants
Replication of previous study of Burns and Rapee in Australia
Gives insight into older adolescents views in the assessment,
recovery period, and health-seeking behavior involving
depression.

Evaluating Mental Health Literacy and Adolescent Depression:


What do teenagers know? J. McCarthy, M. Bruno, T. Fernandez
RESULTS
High level of recognition of adolescent depression
Over 50% and 75% of respondents correctly identified 2

depressed-based situations as being depressed, wherein in the


previous study of Burns and Rapee in Australia the findings of
correctly identifying these situations were 34% and 68%,
respectively.
Participants were able to detect whether a problem was severe or
not, and whether the fictional people given to them in situations
were showing signs of genuine depression.
American sample performed somewhat better when compared to
the Australian study of Burns and Rapee
More concern was observed from the participants of the present
study

Evaluating Mental Health Literacy and Adolescent Depression:


What do teenagers know? J. McCarthy, M. Bruno, T. Fernandez
Participants in the study were accurate in their detection,
concern, and estimated time of recovery.
Suggests they had previous knowledge based either on
Their classroom education
Their accumulated experience themselves
As seen in peers

No significant difference found regarding gender and mental health literacy.

Results warrant further explanation of the relationships between


youth and parents during adolescence.
Conclusion
Further research is needed. Future mental health literacy studies could
have larger sample sizes, and in-depth investigations of adolescents of
various racial/ethnic differences within the sample.

Evaluating Mental Health Literacy and Adolescent Depression:


What do teenagers know? J. McCarthy, M. Bruno, T. Fernandez
Commentary
Pilot study shows how critical an adolescents knowledge about

his/her mental health can be.


Necessary that adolescents in general should be aware of their mental
health because it can lead to self understanding, development of
social skills, and resiliency.
Adolescents experiencing depression are able to empathize and
associate with others undergoing depression (whether they know
them or not) based on an experiential level
Study gave importance to proper treatment of an individual
undergoing mental health problems
Support and awareness are whats important for an adolescent
experiencing depression, especially in the adolescents own home.

Child Mental Health in the Philippines


Journal Article by Consuelo Cagande

Little research has been conducted on adolescent mental


health in the Philippines as compared to other developing
countries.
In the WHO Seven Nation Collaborative Study, it was found
that 16% of Filipino children had mental disorders.
The Philippines mental health system is still in its early
stages of formation, and it is struggling to increase
awareness of the causes of mental disorders, as well as
meet the health demands of both a young as well as aging
population.

Child Mental Health in the Philippines Consuelo Cagande


Study in the 1970s conducted in Lubao city reported that

18.6%-29% of children consulting a health center were


found to have psychiatric problems.
UPs Psychiatric Foundation conducted a population
survey for mental disorders in rural provinces.
Top 5 most predominant childhood psychiatric conditions
Enuresis (9.3%), speech and language disorder (3.9%), mental

subnormality (3.7%), adaption reaction (2.4%), neurotic disorder


(1.1%)

Emigrated Filipinos had second highest occurrences of

depressive symptoms among all Asian ethnic groups.

Child Mental Health in the Philippines Consuelo Cagande


Most Filipinos in their native and adoptive countries

severely underutilize mental health services compared to


other Asian populations.
Higher risk of depression for a Filipino American sample in
comparison to White American sample.
Possible barriers Fil-Ams may face in relation to stigma
Dealing with established family hierarchy
Protection of family reputation
Fatalism and religiosity
Communication barriers
Lack of culturally component practitioners who speak the patients

language.

Child Mental Health in the Philippines Consuelo Cagande


Challenges in the admittance to appropriate mental health care
5% of the health budget is spent on mental health
46 outpatient mental health facilities, 28% allocated for adolescents
4 facilities for day-treatment, 7% of patients are adolescents
19 community-based psychiatric inpatient units, 1% beds reserved
for adolescents
15 community-residential facilities, 3% of beds for adolescents
2 mental hospitals, 2% of beds for adolescents
These numbers have not increased in 5 years. For every 100,000
of the general population of children and adolescents, only 27 area
able to use these services.

Child Mental Health in the Philippines Consuelo Cagande


NMHP identified problems to be focused on
Mental disorders
Substance abuse
Disaster and crisis management
Women, children and other vulnerable groups
NMHP indicated support to shift from mental hospital-based
psychiatric treatment to community-based mental health care.
Proposes emergence of acute psychiatric units and outpatient
clinics in all 72 government hospitals
Budgetary constraints have only allowed 10 hospitals to open
outpatient clinics

Child Mental Health in the Philippines Consuelo Cagande


1982 Perceptions of mental illness among Filipinos that act as
a barrier to seeking mental health care are:
Perceived ridicule encourages hesitance to accept having a
mental illness and treatment
Seeking alternative care (family and peer groups, dependence on
religion)
Cost (prioritization of other needs)
Knowledge of mental health services (limited awareness of
services)
Belief systems (mental illness seen as projecting a weak spirit)
Limitation of services (lack of culturally relevant services for
diverse populations within the nation, language barriers)

Child Mental Health in the Philippines

Consuelo Cagande

Key to developing community-based programs in the Philippines

is the involvement of groups with patients and their respective


families. Family ties are a prominent part of the culture.
Manpower and experience are lacking in overcrowded psychiatric
inpatient units and outpatient clinics.
Not known how many psychiatrists/psychologists have training in
adolescent mental health screening.
Possible Measures
Training of family medicine physicians, pediatricians and nurses on how

to screen and treat mental illness among adolescents.


Involvement of patients and their family members is vital to developing
community-based programs.
Seeking assistance from established mental health experts around the
world to create a child psychiatric residency program could help
promote a more effective workforce. (Can be done online)

Child Mental Health in the Philippines

Consuelo Cagande

Commentary
This study should be an eye opener for not just the
government, but also the church, schools, community and the
family.
Through observation, Filipino adolescents tend to go through a
quarter life crisis due to identity issues in early schooling and
religious formation coupled with familial expectations and
culture.
Beyond mental health facilities, the Filipino family must learn
to reach out and give support (with patience and acceptance)
to change and identity of the adolescent.
Proper and genuine support will always play the biggest role in
the positive mental health of the Filipino adolescent because
of the natural kindness and empathy that the Filipino
possesses.

Depression in rural adolescents: relationships


with gender and availability of mental health
services
Article by Black G, Roberts RM, Li-Leng T.

Focus
Studies have shown increasing evidence that indicate the

prevalence of depression is similar in urban and rural areas.


It is generally perceived that the causes associated with compromised

mental health in rural areas include deprivation and lack of access

This research studies the relationship between depression and


possible determinants of mental health among rural
adolescents.
Factors identified were degree of remoteness, gender,
socioeconomic status, and perception of rural community
characteristics (long waiting lists & lack of mental health
professionals)

Depression in rural adolescents: relationships with


gender and availability of mental health services
by Black G, Roberts RM, Li-Leng T.

Sample: 531 Year 9-12 students from 23 different schools, with


55.7% being female and 98.5% being born in Australia.
Questionnaire
Included questions on demographics
6-item Kutcher Adolescent Depression Scale (KADS-6)
Designed to analyze symptoms consistent with DSM-IV diagnosis of

major depressive disorder


Established to have high sensitivity, good specificity, good test-retest
reliability.
Degree of remoteness measured through home postcodes
A section required respondents to choose possible reasons for the
difficulty in seeking mental health care in rural areas
Causes investigated: mental healthcare professionals, long waiting lists

Depression in rural adolescents: relationships with


gender and availability of mental health services
by Black G, Roberts RM, Li-Leng T.

Results showed that 18.1% of the participants displayed

positive for major depressive disorder on the KADS.


Item on the KADS that measured depressed mood showed that 28.7%

of participants responded that they experienced low mood, sadness, or


depression much of the time.
11.6% most of the time
1.1% all of the time
Responses to KADS question regarding suicide and self-harm
(Thoughts, plans, actions about suicide/self-harm)
12.4% reporting occasional thoughts
4.0% reporting frequent thoughts
3.6% reporting suicidal/self-harming plans or actions

Depression in rural adolescents: relationships with


gender and availability of mental health services
by Black G, Roberts RM, Li-Leng T.

Depression remains an issue of significant concern among South

Australian rural adolescents, esp. with remote areas having fewer


established mental health professionals and mental health
services.
Study found that females were more likely to screen as depressed
on the KADS compared to males (23% F, 11.8% M)
Consistent with most studies on adolescent depression which suggests

females may be more prone to depression


Results are consistent with other research that has shown that it is

not the rurality that affects the development of adolescent


depression, but it may be that community characteristics or
stressors such as life events and relationships are triggers.

Depression in rural adolescents: relationships with


gender and availability of mental health services
by Black G, Roberts RM, Li-Leng T.

Poor mental health literacy is another factor.


Indicates that continuous health initiatives are needed to improve

mental health of rural South Australian adolescents.


Improvement of mental health literacy is an important area to target
Other areas to target: availability of mental health services,
promoting help-seeking behavior for those with mental health
problems, promoting awareness of available mental health
services within the region.

Depression in rural adolescents: relationships with


gender and availability of mental health services
by Black G, Roberts RM, Li-Leng T.

Commentary
Study is further evidence of the association of lack of mental health
awareness and knowledge with an increase in depression
Men seem to be more suppressive of their condition while women
are more expressive
Focus of most rural communities is how to better the livelihood of
the whole community rather than just the individual, which then
may cause instability within adolescents since in most rural
communities theyre pressured by their families to stay and help
out with the work.
Increasing knowledge on mental health is important, especially in
less developed areas and tightly knit traditional communities.
Depression in adolescents can be lessened with an educated and
supportive community.

Bibliography
Black G, Roberts RM, Li-Leng T. Depression in rural adolescents: relationships with gender

and availability of mental health services. Rural and Remote Health 12: 2092.
(Online) 2012. Available: http://www.rrh.org.au
Cagande, C. 2013. Child Mental Health in the Philippines. Adolescent Psychiatry 3(1): 1113.
Lawrence, L. 2014. Mental health literacy and mental health status in adolescents: a
population based survey. Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health 8(26):
1-8.
Luisa, C. Pedro, D. Filipa, P. 2014. Finding Space to Mental Health Promoting mental
health in adolescents: Pilot study. Faculty of Education and Psychology Catholic
University of Portugal. 32(1): 23-29
McCarthy, J. Bruno, M. Fernandes, T. 2011. Evaluating Mental Health Literacy and
Adolescent Depression: What Do Teenagers Know?. The Professional Counselor:
Research and Practice 1(2): 133-142.

Potrebbero piacerti anche