Mental health literacy is influenced by knowledge of the issues and solutions related to mental health. However, there is a knowledge gap among the general population about the importance of mental health issues, which is addressed in this study. The paper outlines a list of five quantitative research publications that deal with the issue in an annotated bibliography.
Article 1
Park, A., Eckert, T. L., Zaso, M. J., Scott‐Sheldon, L. A., Vanable, P. A., Carey, K. B., … & Carey, M. P. (2017). Associations between health literacy and health behaviors among urban high school students. Journal of School Health, 87(12), 885-893.
Three measurements were employed in the research to gauge teenagers’ health outcomes and behaviors related to health literacy. The research strategy for the study included two sets of cross-sectional studies, multiple regression analysis, and logistic regression analysis. REALM-Teen, NVS, KidsPoll, general health, weight status, unhealthy behavior, problem behavior, substance use, and sexual behaviors were all included in the instrumentation. 250 English-speaking 9th graders between the ages of 13 and 17 took part in the research. The results showed that poorer health literacy at baseline was related with worse self-ratings of overall health, more involvement in sexual and problem activities, heavy weight, and unhealthy diets. Additionally, long-term heavy drug use is linked to baseline poor health literacy. The researchers came to the conclusion that high school pupils in urban areas urgently need to enhance their health literacy skills (knowledge about health concerns and how to benefit from professional assistance).
Article 2
Gorczynski, P., Sims-Schouten, W., Hill, D., & Wilson, J. C. (2017). Examining mental health literacy, help-seeking behaviors, and mental health outcomes in UK university students. The Journal of Mental Health Training, Education and Practice.
The research evaluated the mental health literacy of UK university students and examined whether it was associated with intentions to seek assistance and successful mental health outcomes. Online questionnaires were employed in the quantitative investigation, and variance and Pearson correlation analysis were performed to assess the data. The Mental Health Literacy Scale was one of the tools used to examine the help-seeking behavior and knowledge about illnesses, risk factors, and alternatives for professional and self-treatment. K10, the General treatment-seeking Questionnaire, and the WEMWBS are further instruments that measure psychological discomfort and the desire to seek treatment. The sample group included 380 university students who were at least 16 years old (233 men and 146 women). 53.4% of first-year students, 93.9% of the population, and 11.6% had previously been diagnosed with a mental illness. According to the survey, males were less mentally literate than women. Participants with a history of diagnosis had greater levels of literacy than those without. People also chose to get information online and ask family members or romantic partners for assistance.
Article 3
Lopez, V., Sanchez, K., Killian, M. O., & Eghaneyan, B. H. (2018). Depression screening and education: an examination of mental health literacy and stigma in a sample of Hispanic women. BMC public health, 18, 1-8.
The effect of patient education in predicting mental health literacy is investigated by the study. The researchers sought to understand the relationship between education level, awareness of depression, and stigma in the context of primary care for Hispanic women who were depressed. The Latino Scale for Antidepressant Stigma Measure, the Social Distance Measure, and the Stigma Concerns about Mental Health Care measure are some of the tools that are employed. Bivariate correlations, ANCOVA models, Spearman rho, and SPSS software were all employed in the study’s analysis. 319 Spanish women made up the final sample. Spanish was spoken by 94.7% of the population, while 14.4% had a college degree and 63% had just completed high school. It was discovered that those with college degrees knew more about depression and had less worries about stigma.
Article 4
Bjørnsen, H. N., Eilertsen, M. E. B., Ringdal, R., Espnes, G. A., & Moksnes, U. K. (2017). Positive mental health literacy: development and validation of a measure among Norwegian adolescents. BMC public health, 17, 1-10.
The goal of the research was to develop and verify a tool that assesses teenagers’ knowledge of how to achieve and sustain good mental wellbeing. It also assessed the psychometric qualities of the tool. Focus groups, a cross-sectional design, and measurements like the MHPK scale were all employed in the quantitative study. The research employed STATA version 4.2 and Microsoft Excel version 14.7.1 for its statistical analysis. 2087 of the 2145 upper secondary school students (51 percent females and 49 percent boys) who completed the surveys between the ages of 15 and 21 provided valid replies. 44 third-year nursing students from the Norwegian University were also included in the sample in order to verify the instrument among well-known populations. According to the study’s results, a one-dimensional, trustworthy, and valid instrument was created to gauge teenagers’ understanding of mental health. Additionally, the use of psychometrically reliable assessments reduces the impression of the problems as diseases and promotes good mental health.
Article 5
Roy, D., Tripathy, S., Kar, S. K., Sharma, N., Verma, S. K., & Kaushal, V. (2020). Study of knowledge, attitude, anxiety & perceived mental healthcare need in Indian population during COVID-19 pandemic. Asian Journal of Psychiatry, 51, 102083.
The COVID-19 epidemic, which raised people’s levels of stress and anxiety, is the subject of the research. The research assessed Indians’ experiences with anxiety, attitudes toward it, knowledge of it, and perceptions of their need for mental healthcare during the epidemic. It was an observational cross-sectional research. The researchers estimated the outcomes of the study using descriptive statistics, standard deviation, and mean. A 3-point and 5-point Likert scale were also employed in the research. It was an online research, and the sample population consisted of 662 Indians above the age of 18, with a mean age of 29.09 8.83 years (48.6% men and 51.2% females). We only included those who could use the Internet and understood the English language. According to the study’s results, many people were aware of the disease’s symptoms and route of transmission. The participants agree that mental health is important. While 75.1% felt that getting mental health support in situations of panic was important, 66.5% said that talking to someone else about pandemic concerns would be good. 82.9% of respondents would advise those afflicted to seek mental health assistance, while 83.5% said that mental health specialists should help people cope with the epidemic.
References
Park, A., Eckert, T. L., Zaso, M. J., Scott‐Sheldon, L. A., Vanable, P. A., Carey, K. B., … & Carey, M. P. (2017). Associations between health literacy and health behaviors among urban high school students. Journal of School Health, 87(12), 885-893.
Gorczynski, P., Sims-Schouten, W., Hill, D., & Wilson, J. C. (2017). Examining mental health literacy, help-seeking behaviors, and mental health outcomes in UK university students. The Journal of Mental Health Training, Education and Practice.
Lopez, V., Sanchez, K., Killian, M. O., & Eghaneyan, B. H. (2018). Depression screening and education: an examination of mental health literacy and stigma in a sample of Hispanic women. BMC public health, 18, 1-8.
Bjørnsen, H. N., Eilertsen, M. E. B., Ringdal, R., Espnes, G. A., & Moksnes, U. K. (2017). Positive mental health literacy: development and validation of a measure among Norwegian adolescents. BMC public health, 17, 1-10.
Roy, D., Tripathy, S., Kar, S. K., Sharma, N., Verma, S. K., & Kaushal, V. (2020). Study of knowledge, attitude, anxiety & perceived mental healthcare need in Indian population during COVID-19 pandemic. Asian Journal of Psychiatry, 51, 102083
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