Introduction
Mental illness is evident when a person’s capacity for thought, emotion control, or behaviour is clinically significantly impaired.
In crucial areas of functioning, typically accompanied by distress or impairment. This condition includes mental illnesses, psychosocial impairments, and psychiatric disorders linked to high levels of distress, functional limitations, or threat of self-harming behaviour. Anxiety and depression, which affect 1 in 8 people globally or 970 million people, were the most common mental diseases in 2019. Anxiety disorders manifest by excessive fear, concern, and behavioural abnormalities. Typical mood swings and emotional responses to ordinary stimuli are different from depression. A depressive episode entails an individual being in a depressed mood (sad, aggravated, or lonely feelings) and a lack of enjoyment or interest in activities. During childhood and adolescence, most mental health problems manifest. According to statistics from Freţian et al. (2021), 50% of psychiatric illnesses start before age 14, and 75% start before age 25.
Young adults’ lifestyles and behaviours in the United Kingdom and the surrounding regions continue to be adversely affected by mental health-related concerns.
The proposed research involves an essential investigation of psychological health problems (anxiety and depressive disorder) and therapy perspectives of young adults in the UK regarding prophylaxis through applying the health belief model (HBM). The study will commence by evaluating the prevalence of the disorders across young adults and the stigma associated with mental health concerns in the United Kingdom. The study’s backdrop will highlight the extent to which stigmatised issues linked to mental health have adversely affected the public’s view of those concerns and how stigma affects young people’s attitudes toward receiving mental health care. Appropriate theories will support this study activity’s theoretical underpinnings and empirical framework.
Background
Prevalence and Causes of Anxiety and Depression in the UK
A complex and crucial period for the onset of mental health issues is adolescence to the young adult age range (14–24). Approximately 50% of mental health illnesses manifest in adolescence, and over 75 % by age 24. Individuals are subsequently prevented from realising their full potential due to poor mental health and low well-being, including medium and longer-term negative repercussions. According to Babajide et al. (2019), common mental health conditions such as depression are associated with severe adverse outcomes, including poor school performance, interpersonal challenges, unstable employment, and greater mortality risk from somatic disorders and suicide. The recent economic turmoil brought on by the pandemic response seemed to generate feelings of defeat, entrapment, guilt, and despair in young adults (18 to 24). By January 2021, 20% of the young people employed before the outbreak had lost their jobs. Furthermore, there is a possible association between having suicidal thoughts and economic hardship (Owens et al., 2022). In England, 1 in 4 persons will encounter mental health issues annually. Studies report that young adults noted experiencing a common mental health condition (such as anxiety or depression) experienced by 1 in 6 people in England at some point. The proportion of young adults in England who experience anxiety and depressive disorders in any given week comprised of Generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) impacts 6 out of 100 individuals, and mixed anxiety and depression affect 8 out of 100 individuals.4 out of 100 persons experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).3 out of 100 experience depression (Clarke & Pote, 2021). Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) affects 1 in 100 persons, while phobias affect 2 in 100 people, and less than 1 in 100 persons have panic disorder.
Stigmatisation and Discrimination
Mental health issues impact thousands of individuals in the UK. Nonetheless, a substantial rate of stigma (negative attitude) is still associated with mental health. According to Drent et al. (2022), individuals with mental illnesses may face discrimination (unfavourable treatment) in numerous facets of their lives. For those with mental health-related concerns such as anxiety and depressive disorders, it is a phase of transition that is significant and marked by various vital suspicious development (Rice et al., 2018). Significant public health effects of stigma and discrimination against those who struggle with mental illness include a shorter life expectancy, restriction from higher education and job opportunities, an increased likelihood of involvement in the criminal justice system, victimisation, poverty, and homelessness (Henderson et al., 2019). According to Health Profile for England (2019), over 7.5 million young people between 16 and 25 years suffer from anxiety and depressive disorders with little to no attention paid to receiving mental health care. This highlights the necessity of funding efficient anti-stigma initiatives, such as campaigns aimed at the general public and young adults.
Stigmatisation may have a wide range of negative consequences for those dealing with mental health issues. In the UK, access to care gets impacted by the stigma and prejudice associated with mental health disorders. According to Zhang et al. (2019), undermining care-seeking and service engagement may be two major categories of stigma-related barriers: lack of insurance, monetary limitations and workforce limitations that limit access to care are examples of provider and system-level barriers; person-level barriers are beliefs and conduct that influence health decision, such as stigma that compels individuals to evade therapy or drop out prematurely, low mental health literacy, assumptions that treatments are ineffective, the belief that many therapies are unrelated to their culture and the absence of a support system that encourages obtaining therapy. Young adults in the UK experience the trauma of mental health-related disorders individually, the second-largest source of the illness burden (Owens et al., 2022). Younger adults are disproportionately affected by social and mental illness, inadequate mental health literacy, and carefree attitudes toward mental health treatment (Lederle et al., 2021). Despite significant training and expertise in mental health issues, mental health professionals (MHPs) may not always endorse positive attitudes toward persons with serious mental illnesses (Nyblade et al., 2019). Individuals with mental illnesses frequently feel dehumanised due to MHPs’ stigmatising attitudes and actions (Koutra et al., 2021). These reported experiences might worsen the need for assistance, prolong discomfort, and jeopardise the patient-professional relationship. This reduces treatment results and contributes to subpar health care.
This study demonstrates that theoretical frameworks such as the Health Belief Model (HBM) are effective. According to HBM, health-related behaviour becomes impacted by various variables, including perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived advantages, perceived hindrances, signals to action, and self-efficacy (Anuar et al., 2020), in addition to the (TPB) Theory of Planned Behavior. According to Pourmand et al. (2020), the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) links one’s beliefs and intention toward attitude, subject norms, and perceived behavioural control, shaping an individual’s behavioural intentions and behaviours.
Purpose of the Study
This study aims to critically analyse mental health issues (anxiety & depression disorder) and the treatment attitudes of young adults in the United Kingdom.
Research Questions
The relevant research questions are the abstract of the core research aim and objectives related to mental health issues: anxiety and depression disorder and the treatment attitudes of young adults in the United Kingdom. The youth population in the UK often experience apartheid towards mental health treatment and is a victim of mental health disorders such as anxiety and depression. Most young adults avert mental health treatment due to mental health stigmatisation. Young adults’ lives encompass myopic beliefs and attitudes about mental health care, which impact their lifestyle, behaviour, attitudes, mood, anxiety, and depressive disorders, among other things (Al Omari et al., 2019). The following are the pertinent questions:
The relevant questions are as follows:
- What is the prevalence rate of Anxiety & Depression disorder among young adults in the United Kingdom?
- What causes mental health issues (Anxiety & Depression disorder) among young adults in the United Kingdom?
- What are the implications of mental health illness attitudes on the treatment of young adults in the United Kingdom?
Research Design and Ethics
The researcher will use a qualitative research methodology approach, an abstract secondary data source. The use of secondary sources is justifiable as it is content-based and qualitative while it is reflective of findings from various academic scholars relating to research studies on the critical analysis of mental health issues (anxiety & depression disorder) and the treatment attitudes of young adults in the United Kingdom. The content analysis of secondary data sources will determine the relationship among various dependent and independent variables designed to examine “A critical analysis of mental health issues (anxiety & depression disorder) and the treatment attitudes of young adults in the United Kingdom.”
Ethics-Ethical Consideration
The researcher will comply with the major purpose of carrying out this research for academic purposes and recommend suggested solutions to those interested in the research work.
The research will ensure that non of the content of this research work will be used against any stakeholders but rather suggest appropriate recommendations to the appropriate stakeholders on the subject matters. All useful information will be used for academic work and kept private and confidential for more research work but not to implicate any stakeholders. Ethical approval is from the appropriate government agency. The written application letter will comply with the ethical consideration on the research topic for ethical clearance, attaching an introduction letter from the school faculties and department to the office of the hospital-based organisation and families of the victims of mental health illness in the United Kingdom (London)
Data Collection Strategy
The data collection strategy is secondary base in nature with the use of content analysis of research methods. The content analysis of various works of academicians and scholars on the core area of this research study. The content analysis reflects articles and journals approved for academic uses on critical analysis of mental health issues (anxiety & depression disorder) and the treatment attitudes of young adults in the United Kingdom.
The review of each academic journal and article will be alongside its findings and conclusion. The researcher will summarise the outcome of the study of each journal and article based on the author’s opinion. Each reviewed academic journal relating to this research topic is either criticised or appraised based on the subject of argument. The uses of content and trends analysis will cover all the variables, including the dependent and independent research variables.
Approach to Analysis
Each of the articles and journals will be explored and reviewed based on the content analysis of each related topic of the journal and article. Since the current research is inclusive of qualitative, the data analysis approach is on the basis of the general inductive model, which resembles anchored theory aiming at giving directions to secondary data of different scholars. The secondary data sources will entail various relevant works of scholars related to the core research work.
Timeline (Including Supervision)
The proposed timeline for this thesis is within the range of three months (3) from January 2023 to March 2023. I can be confident within me, to the best of my capability, that the proposed timeframe for my thesis from the beginning to the completion is three good months which is equivalent to 12 weeks.
In the first month, which is January 2023. I intend to have commenced as early as possible in the same January and complete my proposed chapter 1 and 2, guided by my supervisor and in compliance with the school faculty standard and ethical research rules and regulations.
In the second month of February, I intend to have started with my proposed chapter three and research instrument. I will ensure that the research instrument passes through the validity state and reliability test to fulfil all righteousness so that my instrument can get the final approval for the field survey. In the same second month, I intend to distribute or administer an average of (150) one hundred and fifty customised questionnaires and interviews to the target audience. I intend to employ at least two research assistants that will assist in administrating research instruments in the United Kingdom.
I intend to collect and retrieve all the administered questionnaire-interview questions for collation and analysis in the final month, the third month. The collation will make it easy to use Statistical Package for Social Science Students (SPSS, 20) for the data analysis and interpretation. In the same month of March 2023, upon completing the Chapter 4 data analysis, I intend to write Chapter 5, which includes a conclusion, summary, and recommendations. At the end of the third month of March, I proposed to collate all my write-ups from chapter one to chapter five, along with the list of references and bibliography, cover page, and abstract pages.
Conclusion
The researcher scheduled a research task on mental health problems, anxiety and depression disorder, and the treatment attitudes of young adults in the United Kingdom. The young adults perceived mental health-related issues as a normal way of life, which has made life unease to cope with while suffering from anxiety disorder and depression, which are prone to jeopardise the life of the victims. Mental health illness is an epidemic that warrants urgent treatment and attention to psychiatrist specialists to reduce, if not eliminate, the psychological effect on young adults’ lifestyles and attitudes toward treatment for mental health-related issues.
References
Al Omari, O., Wynaden, D., Alkhawaldeh, A., Al-Delaimy, W., Heslop, K., Al Dameery, K., & Bani Salameh, A. (2019). Knowledge and attitudes of young people toward mental illness: A Cross-Sectional Study. Comprehensive Child and Adolescent Nursing, 43(4), 301–313. https://doi.org/10.1080/24694193.2019.1670752
Anuar, H., Shah, S. A., Gafor, A. H., & Mahmood, M. I. (2020, November). Usage of health belief model (HBM) in Health Behavior: A Systematic Review. Retrieved April 17, 2023, from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/347558135_Usage_of_Health_Belief_Model_HBM_in_Health_Behavior_A_Systematic_Review
Babajide, A., Ortin, A., Wei, C., Mufson, L., & Duarte, C. S. (2019). Transition cliffs for young adults with anxiety and depression: Is Integrated Mental Health Care a solution? The Journal of Behavioral Health Services & Research, 47(2), 275–292. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11414-019-09670-8
Clarke, A., & Pote, I. (2021, April 15). Adolescent mental health evidence brief 1: Prevalence of disorders. Early Intervention Foundation. Retrieved April 17, 2023, from https://www.eif.org.uk/report/adolescent-mental-health-evidence-brief-1-prevalence-of-disorders
Drent, H. M., van den Hoofdakker, B., Buitelaar, J. K., Hoekstra, P. J., & Dietrich, A. (2022). Factors related to perceived stigma in parents of children and adolescents in outpatient mental healthcare. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(19), 12767. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191912767
Freţian, A. M., Graf, P., Kirchhoff, S., Glinphratum, G., Bollweg, T. M., Sauzet, O., & Bauer, U. (2021). The long-term effectiveness of interventions addressing mental health literacy and stigma of mental illness in children and adolescents: Systematic Review and meta-analysis. International Journal of Public Health, 66. https://doi.org/10.3389/ijph.2021.1604072
Henderson, C., Potts, L., & Robinson, E. J. (2019). Mental illness stigma after a decade of time to change England: Inequalities as targets for further improvement. European Journal of Public Health, 30(3), 497–503. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckaa013
Koutra, K., Mavroeides, G., & Triliva, S. (2021). Mental health professionals’ attitudes towards people with severe mental illness: Are they related to professional quality of life? Community Mental Health Journal, 58(4), 701–712. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-021-00874-x
Lederle, M., Tempes, J., & Bitzer, E. M. (2021). Application of Andersen’s behavioural model of Health Services use: A scoping review with a focus on qualitative health services research. BMJ Open, 11(5). https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2020-045018
Nyblade, L., Stockton, M. A., Giger, K., Bond, V., Ekstrand, M. L., Lean, R. M., Mitchell, E. M., Nelson, L. R., Sapag, J. C., Siraprapasiri, T., Turan, J., & Wouters, E. (2019). Stigma in health facilities: Why it matters and how we can change it. BMC Medicine, 17(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-019-1256-2
Owens, M., Townsend, E., Hall, E., Bhatia, T., Fitzgibbon, R., & Miller-Lakin, F. (2022). Mental health and well-being in young people in the UK during lockdown (COVID-19). International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(3), 1132. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19031132
Owens, M., Townsend, E., Hall, E., Bhatia, T., Fitzgibbon, R., & Miller-Lakin, F. (2022). Mental health and well-being in young people in the UK during lockdown (COVID-19). International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(3), 1132. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19031132
Pourmand, G., Doshmangir, L., Ahmadi, A., Noori, M., Rezaeifar, A., Mashhadi, R., Aziminia, R., Pourmand, A., & Gordeev, V. S. (2020). An application of the theory of planned behaviour to self-care in patients with hypertension. BMC Public Health, 20(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-020-09385-y
Public Health England. (2019, September 24). Health Profile for England: 2019. GOV.UK. Retrieved April 17, 2023, from https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/health-profile-for-england-2019
Rice, S. M., Purcell, R., & McGorry, P. D. (2018). Adolescent and young adult male mental health: Transforming system failures into proactive models of engagement. Journal of Adolescent Health, 62(3). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2017.07.024
Zhang, Z., Sun, K., Jatchavala, C., Koh, J., Chia, Y., Bose, J., Li, Z., Tan, W., Wang, S., Chu, W., Wang, J., Tran, B., & Ho, R. (2019). Overview of stigma against psychiatric illnesses and advancements of anti-stigma activities in six Asian societies. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(1), 280. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17010280
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