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OBJECTIVE The main goal of this study was to investigate how persons with symptoms of traumatization and other mental disorders influence daily policing work. METHOD In total, 2,228 German police officers filled out a questionnaire (28.2% female, 71.8% male). The data were assessed using Mann-Whitney U and chi-square tests. RESULTS The results show that 14.3% of the individuals police officers encountered in their daily work had been traumatized, according to police officer observations. With respect to mental health literacy, depression was the best-known disorder (M = 13.46) among police officers, and anxiety was the least known disorder (M = 10.88). According to police officers' responses, 75.5% of the persons thought to be suffering from mental health disorders or traumatization did not file a complaint because interrogation, investigations, or legal proceedings were perceived as too stressful. More than half of the participating police officers (50.4%) recommended the expansion of specialized training programs for law enforcement personnel, and more than one third recommended an increase in collaboration with professionals (39.1%), such as psychiatrists and psychologists. CONCLUSION Law enforcement officers often have contact with persons who show symptoms of traumatization or other mental disorders. Their general knowledge about mental disorders and regarding traumatization in particular is in need of expansion. The additional strain caused by legal proceedings prevents reporting of criminal incidents to the police from the respondents' viewpoint. This impediment to law enforcement needs to be addressed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Background Postpartum depression is a significant public health issue. It is important to understand new mothers' awareness on depression during the postpartum period. Aim This study was aimed to understand the postpartum depression literacy of postpartum women. Methods This was a cross-sectional survey carried out among randomly selected mothers (N = 279) attending a paediatric tertiary care center. The data was collected through face-to-face interview technique using a structured questionnaire. Results Our findings revealed that merely 50.7% of the postpartum mothers had an adequate level of knowledge on postpartum depression. Postpartum depression literacy was significantly associated with participants' age (P Conclusion The findings of the present study highlight specific gaps in postpartum depression literacy which may compromise the help-seeking behaviours of postpartum mothers. The findings also suggest an urgent need to sensitize women about postpartum depression.

Background: An increasing number of South Africans utilise primary healthcare services (either in the state or private sector) for mental health concerns; hence, there is a need to objectively assess these doctors’ attitudes and knowledge of mental illness. Aim: To investigate aspects of knowledge and attitudes towards mental illness of a group of private and state-employed non-specialist medical doctors. Method: Doctors in the state sector who were working at a primary healthcare level and who were not working towards, or did not hold, a specialist qualification were considered eligible for the study. Doctors in the private sector who were working as general practitioners and who did not hold a specialist qualification were considered eligible for the study. Data were collected by means of a self-administered questionnaire. A link to the study questionnaire, information about the study, details of the researcher and matters pertaining to informed consent were emailed to potential participants. Results: Of the 140 practitioners who responded to the survey, 51.4% (n = 72) worked in the state sector, 41.4% (n = 58) worked in the private sector and 7.1% (n = 10) worked in both the state and private sectors (χ2 1 = 45.31, p < 0.010). The majority (> 50%) of participants in all three groups had a positive attitude towards mental illness (χ2 2 = 1.52, p = 0.468). Although there were no significant associations between attitude and socio-demographic characteristics (p > 0.05), male SS doctors reported feeling less comfortable when dealing with mentally ill patients (p = 0.015); SS doctors who did not have family contact with mental illness were less likely to feel that mentally ill patients did not pose a risk to others (p = 0.007), and PS doctors under the age of 35 years were more likely to feel adequately trained to treat mental illness (p = 0.026). The majority (> 50%) of participants in all three groups had an adequate level of knowledge of mental illness (modal scores = 10). There were no significant associations between knowledge and socio-demographic characteristics (p > 0.05). Conclusion: Despite the findings of a positive attitude and adequate knowledge of mental illness amongst the participants of this study, it is recommended that more targeted interventions are established to further improve mental health awareness and knowledge of doctors at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels of study.

This research examines the influence that emotional distress, socially demanding contexts, and the coronavirus pandemic have had on the mental health of young adults. It highlights how active engagement in one's mental health can help mitigate the negative influence of emotional distress on mental health. A research model outlines the importance of mental health engagement in combating and controlling mental health symptoms. Implications from findings underscore the significance of creating a culture that assigns parity to both mental and physical healthcare. Direction is offered for healthcare providers in fostering mental health engagement by promoting mental health literacy and increasing access.

Hazaras, mostly aged

Background This study aims to know the seeking help behavior (including seeking help or not, first choice, influential factors and barriers in seeking help) of individuals with SZ (Schizophrenia) in Hunan province of China. Methods The participants are from a larger epidemiological study of severe mental disorders in Hunan province of China. Self-made questionnaires were used to collect relative information. Results (1) Of the 367 participants, 68.9% (253/367) sought help; of those, 64.6% (n=163) pursued professional psychiatric services and 30.8% (n=78) pursued non-medical options (i.e., relatives, praying to Buddha) as the most common first choices. (2) The help-seeking behavior ratio (seeking help individuals/total sample size) is significantly lower in the illiterate group than in other education levels. Those with a family history of mental disorders tend to have a higher help-seeking behavior ratio. And the first choice of help is largely related to education level. (3) Frequent reasons behind not seeking help include fear of stigmatization (72.9%), poor mental health literacy (64.5%), concerns over cost (50.6%), and limited access to medical services (47.0%). Conclusions About one third of the individuals do not seek help. Individuals with SZ tend to choose psychiatric hospital and relatives as their first choice. A family history of mental disorders and higher education levels are meaningfully associated with help-seeking behavior, and individuals with more education tend to seek for professional help first. The primary reasons for not seeking help include fear of stigmatization, lack of awareness about mental illness, concerns over cost, etcTrial registration This study is approved by ‘the ethics committee of the Brain Hospital of Hunan Province’,the committee’s reference numberis ‘Z2019045’.

Background Suicide is a major public health issue among Indigenous Sámi in Nordic countries, and efforts to prevent suicide in the Sámi context are increasing. However, there is no literature on suicide prevention initiatives among Sámi. The aim of the study was to map suicide prevention initiatives targeting Sámi in Norway, Sweden, and Finland during 2005–2019. Method Initiatives were identified and described through utilizing networks among stakeholders in the field of suicide prevention among Sámi, acquiring documentation of initiatives and utilizing the authors first-hand experiences. The described initiatives were analyzed inspired by the “What is the problem represented to be?” (WPR)-approach. Results Seventeen initiatives targeting Sámi were identified during 2005–2019, including nine in Sweden, five in Norway, one in Finland and two international initiatives. Analysis with the WPR-approach yielded 40 problematizations regarding how to prevent suicide among Sámi, pertaining to shortcomings on individual (5), relational (15), community/cultural (3), societal (14) and health systems levels (3). All initiatives were adapted to the Sámi context, varying from tailor-made, culture-specific approaches to targeting Sámi with universal approaches. The most common approaches were the gatekeeper and mental health literacy training programs. The initiatives generally lacked thorough evaluation components. Conclusion We argue that the dominant rationales for suicide prevention were addressing shortcomings on individual and relational levels, and raising awareness in the general public. This threatens obscuring other, critical, approaches, such as broadening perspectives in prevention planning, improving health systems for Sámi, and promoting cultural empowerment among Sámi. Nevertheless, the study confirms considerable efforts have been invested into suicide prevention among Sámi during the last 15 years, and future initiatives might include a broader set of prevention rationales. To improve evaluation and identify the most promising practices, increased support regarding development of plans and implementation of evaluation components is needed.

Background There is an increasing need for Mental Health Promotion (MHP) among adolescents, especially in developing countries with limited resources and rapid socio-demographic transition. With the growing burden of mental health problems among adolescents (suicide, depression) and their preferences to seek help from their peers, improving Mental Health Literacy (MHL) and behaviours for First Aid in Mental Health (MH-FA) becomes crucial to promote their mental health. Methods Schools are ideal settings for reaching the vulnerable adolescents. The proposed study evaluates the effectiveness of a classroom-based teacher-led integrated school mental health intervention called SUMS (MHP + MHL + MH-FA). The study will involve a pragmatic, cluster-randomised waitlist-controlled design to evaluate the effectiveness of SUMS intervention using schools as unit-of-randomisation. The study will be conducted in Srinivaspura taluka (Sub-district) of Kolar district (administrative unit of health) of Karnataka in collaboration with a multi-disciplinary expert team from NIMHANS (National Institute of Mental Health And Neuro Sciences), Bangalore-India and Department of Education, Government of Karnataka, India. A total of 8 schools (400 students studying in 6–8 grade) from Srinivaspura taluka will be randomised into intervention and waitlist control group. The intervention group will receive SUMS intervention through 10–15 h of classroom sessions. The primary outcome is the improvement in positive mental health literacy, as measured by the Mental Health-Promoting Knowledge (MHPK-10) scale. Changes in MH-FA knowledge and intentions, Mental health stigma, help-seeking and resilience are assessed as secondary outcomes. Data will be collected at baseline, 6-weeks, 6-months and 12-months post-intervention. The waitlist-control schools will receive the interventions at the end of the 12-month follow-up assessment in intervention-schools. Discussion This is the first study to integrate Mental Health Literacy with Mental Health Promotion and behaviours for First Aid in Mental Health to promote mental health well-being among adolescent school children in India. With a need to build a more substantial evidence base on School Mental Health Promotion approaches in developing countries, the study findings will have implications for implementing and operationalising Health and Wellness Ambassador initiative in India. Trial registration Clinical Trials Registry - India, CTRI/2019/07/020394. Registered prospectively on 29 July 2019. (ctri.nic.in/Clinicaltrials/pmaindet2.php?trialid=35724&EncHid=&userName=sums).

Latinos/as in the United States (U.S.), face persistent mental health care disparities, even after adjusting for education, health insurance, and socioeconomic factors. While there has been increased attention on mental health stigma and mental health literacy, no systematic literature review currently exists of interventions developed to reduce mental health stigma and improve mental health literacy in the Latino/a community. This review aimed to (1) examine the methodological rigor of these intervention studies, (2) describe the mental health literacy and stigma interventions developed for Latinos/as in the U.S., and (3) summarize the outcomes of these studies focusing on mental health literacy and stigma outcomes. This study followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines to inform our systematic literature review. The methodological rigor of each study was assessed using an adapted version of the Methodological Quality Rating Scale. Seven articles met the inclusion criteria for this review. The majority of studies were small pilot studies with small samples and short follow-up periods of less than a month. These interventions showed promising results for improving knowledge of mental disorders and mixed results for reducing stigma towards people with mental illness and mental health treatments. As the Latino/a population continues to grow, future research should continue investigating and developing more intensive and prolonged mental health stigma interventions that use multiple media platforms (e.g., radio, television, website, print, and social media) to help reduce mental health care disparities in this population.

Background: Mental health is a big problem throughout the world, and India is not far behind. When we look at progress in the field of mental health, it appears to be sluggish. Despite the fact that a newly created mental health literacy (MHL) scale revealed substantial score disparities between the general public and mental health professionals, there is currently no published scale to measure MHL among healthcare students. Aims and Objectives: The major part was comparing the knowledge, attitude and perception of 1st year medical students with final year medical students regarding psychiatric disorders and measuring there response on Likert scale. Materials and Methods: The participants were recruited from 1st year to final year undergraduate students, during the period April 2019 to January 2020 in Patna Medical College and Hospital, Patna. The sample consisted of 100 students (50 from 1st year MBBS Students and 50 from final year MBBS (Students) Non-random, non-stratified, and purposive sampling was done for the purpose of the study. Results: Among the groups, majority of the of the final year students (64%) agreed that the best described condition of the patient was Generalized Anxiety Disorder, but only 26% of the 1st years students agreed that the best described condition of the patient was Generalized Anxiety Disorder. There was significant difference between 1st years and final year students about the knowledge of the described condition with P

Mental health literacy can be defined as an individual's competence in understanding, recognizing, and managing mental illnesses. It is seen that there is not enough research in our country on this concept, which is important in protecting and improving community mental health. With this descriptive study, it was aimed to examine the mental health literacy level of individuals living in a city center. 388 individuals living in a city center in Central Anatolia were reached by random snowball method, and the research data were collected with an online form. Introductory Information Form and Mental Health Literacy Scale were used for the data. Descriptive statistics, Independent Samples t-Test, One-Way ANOVA and Tukey's test were used in data analysis. In the study, the Knowledge-oriented sub-scale mean score of the individuals was 7.20±2.39; the Belief-oriented sub-scale was 4.76±1.76, the Resource-oriented sub-scale was 2.80±1.25, and the total scale was 14.76±3.67, and gender, education level, working status, being interested in mental issues and knowing the individual with mental illness made a significant difference(p0.05). When the items of the scale were examined, it was seen that the items related to schizophrenia, depression, disease occurrence, suicide, recovery, treatments, and service use had lower scores than the others. As a result of the research, it was determined that the participants had a high level of mental health literacy and were affected by sociodemographic variables, and advanced studies examining mental health literacy are recommended., Ruh sağlığı okuryazarlığı bireyin ruhsal hastalıkları anlama, tanıma ve yönetmedeki yetkinliği olarak tanımlanabilir. Toplum ruh sağlığını koruma ve geliştirmede önemli olan bu kavrama yönelik ülkemizde yeterli sayıda araştırma olmadığı görülmektedir. Tanımlayıcı türde yapılan bu araştırmayla bir il merkezinde yaşayan bireylerin ruh sağlığı okuryazarlığı düzeyinin incelenmesi amaçlanmıştır. İç Anadolu’da bir il merkezinde yaşayan 388 bireye gelişigüzel kartopu yöntemiyle ulaşılmış, araştırma verileri çevirimiçi form ile toplanmıştır. Veriler için Tanıtıcı Bilgi Formu ve Ruh Sağlığı Okuryazarlığı Ölçeği kullanılmıştır. Veri analizinde tanımlayıcı istatistikler, Bağımsız Örneklemlerde t Testi, Tek Yönlü Varyans Analizi (ANOVA) ve Tukey testi yapılmıştır. Araştırmada bireylerin Bilgi Odaklı alt boyut puan ortalaması 7.20±2.39, İnanç Odaklı alt boyutu 4.76±1.76, Kaynak Odaklı alt boyutu 2.80±1.25 ve ölçek toplamının 14.76±3.67 olduğu; cinsiyetin, eğitim düzeyinin, çalışma durumunun, ruhsal konulara ilgili olmanın ve ruhsal hastalığı olan bireyi tanımanın önemli farklılık yarattığı saptanmıştır (p0.05). Ölçek maddelerinden alınan ortalama puan incelendiğinde şizofreni, depresyon, hastalık oluşumu, intihar, iyileşme, tedaviler ve hizmet kullanımına yönelik maddelerin diğerlerine göre daha düşük puan aldığı görülmüştür. Araştırma sonucunda katılımcıların ruh sağlığı okuyazarlığının yüksek düzeyde olduğu ve sosyodemografik değişkenlerden etkilendiği söylenebilir. Ruh sağlığı okuryazarlığını geliştirmeye yönelik ileri düzey çalışmaların yapılması önerilir.

A gravidez constitui um período de extrema importância enquanto momento de transição para a parentalidade. Decorrente das alterações biopsicossociais desta fase, torna-se pertinente analisar os fatores que promovem a literacia em saúde mental da grávida. São objetivos avaliar o grau de literacia em saúde mental positiva e analisar as variáveis promotoras da literacia em saúde mental, em grávidas. Trata-se de um estudo quantitativo, transversal, descritivo e correlacional, constituído por uma amostra de 222 grávidas, média de idade 30.45 anos (dp±4.64). O instrumento de colheita de dados foi um questionário, que permitiu caracterizar a amostra nas dimensões sociodemográfica e clínica. Foi ainda utilizada a escala de avaliação da literacia em saúde mental positiva de Chaves, Sequeira & Duarte (2018). Em termos de resultados constatou-se que as grávidas com companheiro, residentes em zona urbana, com ensino superior, ativas profissionalmente, com uma profissão intelectual, sem hábitos tabágicos, que classificam a sua alimentação como saudável/muito saudável, revelam mais literacia em saúde mental positiva. Verificou-se ainda que as grávidas cuja gravidez foi planeada, que recorreram a tratamentos de fertilidade, que a gravidez é vigiada por enfermeiro e médico, que cumprem a vigilância da gravidez, que frequentam curso de preparação para o parto e parentalidade, apresentam mais literacia em saúde mental positiva. Recomendam-se programas de intervenção, como por exemplo, a realização de rastreio de saúde mental na grávida.

Objective This paper presents a review of the current state of child and adolescent mental health literacy and provides current evidence of the economic impact of a pediatric mental health literacy (MHL) training program.Methods Employing a case-series-comparison design, physician referrals to urgent and specialized mental health services were linked with patient-specific information comparing referrals from MHL participants and non-participating physicians. The economic impact analysis was based on changes in the admitted referral frequency and lengths of stay for the MHL group, compared to themselves pretraining, and over the same time period compared to non-participating physicians.Results Average scheduled ambulatory admission rates per physician remained constant for trained and untrained pre-post groups. Average scheduled ambulatory admission wait time and length of stay reduced significantly post-training for MHL-trained physicians compared to pre-training and untrained physicians. In addition to reductions in length of stay, the total bed costs saving for emergency/ inpatients admission deferrals was $2,932,112 or about $20,000 per MHL-trained physician.Conclusion The estimated economic impact of the MHL training shows a substantial return on investment and supports wider implementation. The MHL training program should be a key feature of mental health reform strategies, as well as continuing and undergraduate medical education.

BACKGROUND: Lack of mental health literacy among rehabilitation professionals and employers in the return-to-work of persons with mental health problems resulted in the development of a three-day group training program, the Support to Employers from rehabilitation Actors about Mental health (SEAM) intervention. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of SEAM on rehabilitation professionals’ knowledge and beliefs, attitudes, and supporting behaviors towards people with mental health problems and employers as part of the return-to-work process. METHODS: In this longitudinal study, 94 rehabilitation professionals were included. Data were collected prior to (T1), immediately after (T2) and 6 months after SEAM training (T3) using knowledge and attitude scales and a questionnaire on supporting behaviors. SEAM includes training in Mental Health First Aid, presentations and discussions on current research on work and mental health, and strategies and communication guidelines to use when meeting service users and employers as part of the return-to-work of persons with mental health problems. SEAM also includes a homepage with targeted employer information. Data were analyzed using non-parametric statistics. RESULTS: SEAM significantly increased rehabilitation professionals’ knowledge of mental health (T1-T2: z = –2.037, p = 0.042; T2-T3: z = –5.093, p = 0.001), and improved their attitudes towards persons with mental health problems (T1-T2: z = 4.984, p = 0.001). Professionals (50–60%) also estimated that they had increased their use of supporting strategies towards service users and employers. CONCLUSIONS: The study suggests that SEAM can increase mental health literacy among rehabilitation professionals and lead to a greater focus on service users’ resources and work ability, as well as on employers’ support needs.

Objectives Mental health first aid (MHFA) may have beneficial effects on the public's knowledge, attitude, and behavior; however, its effectiveness in increasing mental health literacy on college students remains unknown. Methods We systematically searched the PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases from inception to January 2020. We included trials that compared the effect between the MHFA program group and control group on the knowledge, stigmatizing attitudes, confidence, and intention of college students. A random-effects model was used. Results We analyzed five trials involving 1134 participants and found that the MHFA program could significantly increase the student's knowledge (SMD: 0.49, 95% CI: [0.28-0.70]) and confidence (SMD: 0.71, 95% CI: 0.24-1.19). Conclusions Overall, the MHFA program could increase college students' knowledge regarding mental health and confidence to support people with mental health problems. However, well-designed control trials are required to investigate the program's effect on mental health literacy in college students. Abbreviations MHFA, Mental health first aid; GPs, General Practioners; CI, confidence interval; SMD, standardized mean24difference.

Background Half of mental health disorders begin before the age of 14, highlighting the importance of prevention and early-intervention in childhood. Schools have been identified globally by policymakers as a platform to support good child mental health; however, the majority of the research is focused on secondary schools, with primary schools receiving very little attention by comparison. The limited available evidence on mental health initiatives in primary schools is hindered by a lack of rigorous evaluation. This quasi-experimental cluster study aims to examine the implementation and effectiveness of a Mental Health and Wellbeing Co-ordinator role designed to build mental health capacity within primary schools. Methods This is a primary (ages 5–12) school-based cluster quasi-experimental study in Victoria, Australia. Before baseline data collection, 16 schools selected by the state education department will be allocated to intervention, and another 16 matched schools will continue as ‘Business as Usual’. In intervention schools, a mental health and well-being coordinator will be recruited and trained, and three additional school staff will also be selected to receive components of the mental health training. Surveys will be completed by consenting staff (at 2-, 5-, 10- and 17-months post allocation) and by consenting parents/carers (at 3-, 10- and 17-months post allocation) in both intervention and business as usual schools. The primary objective is to assess the change in teacher’s confidence to support student mental health and wellbeing using the School Mental Health Self-Efficacy Teacher Survey. Secondary objectives are to assess the indirect impact on systemic factors (level of support, prioritisation of child mental health), parent and teachers’ mental health literacy (stigma, knowledge), care access (school engagement with community-based services), and student mental health outcomes. Implementation outcomes (feasibility, acceptability, and fidelity) and costs will also be evaluated. Discussion The current study will examine the implementation and effectiveness of having a trained Mental Health and Wellbeing Coordinator within primary schools. If the intervention increases teachers’ confidence to support student mental health and wellbeing and builds the capacity of primary schools it will improve student mental health provision and inform large-scale mental health service reform. Trial registration The trial was retrospectively registered in the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR) on July 6, 2021. The registration number is ACTRN12621000873820.

AimTo assess mental health literacy of health workers in primary health care services in Kenya.BackgroundMental illness is common in Kenya, yet there are fewer than 500 specialist mental health workers to serve Kenya’s population of over 50 million. The World Health Organization recommends the integration of mental health care into primary health care services to improve access to and equity of this care, especially in low and middle-income countries. An important step to integrating mental health care into primary health care services is to determine mental health literacy levels of the primary health care workforce.MethodA cross-sectional survey using Jorm’s Mental Health Literacy Instrument (adapted for the Kenyan context) was administered to 310 primary health care workers in four counties of Kenya.ResultsOf the 310 questionnaires distributed, 212 (68.3%) were returned. Of the respondents, 13% had a formal mental health qualification, while only 8.7% had received relevant continuing professional development in the five years preceding the survey. Just over one third (35.6%) of primary health care workers could correctly identify depression, with even fewer recognising schizophrenia (15.7%).ConclusionsThis study provides preliminary information about mental health literacy among primary health care workers in Kenya. The majority of respondents had low mental health literacy as indicated by their inability to identify common mental disorders. While identifying gaps in primary health care workers’ mental health knowledge, these data highlight opportunities for capacity building that can enhance mental health care in Kenya and similar low and middle-income countries.

Background: Mental health literacy is important as it relates to understanding mental illness, increasing help-seeking efficacy, and reducing mental illness-related stigma. One method to improve the mental health literacy of young people is a digital video intervention. Aims: A scoping review was conducted to map existing research in the area of digital video interventions for mental health literacy among young people. Methods: The scoping review was conducted following the PRISMA-ScR checklist. All results were screened based on our inclusion criteria. Results: Seventeen studies were selected for analysis. In most studies (n = 14), a digital video was the only intervention whereas three studies took a multi-intervention approach. Only two of the digital video interventions were co-created with people with mental illness or university students. All studies showed positive results in favor of digital video interventions in at least one component of mental health literacy or compared to one of the comparison conditions. Conclusions: Digital video interventions represent effective tools for enhancing mental health literacy. However, there is a need for active involvement of end-users in co-creation and to attend to the production quality so that the digital video intervention is as relevant, informed, and effective as possible.

This study aimed to investigate mental health literacy (MHL) with respect to dementia. Three forms of dementia were investigated. In all, 167 participants completed an online questionnaire which consisted of five vignettes that described the three dementia conditions, as well as depression and typical ageing. The vignette characters had no age specified, or they were described as 50-years-old or 70-years-old. Participants had to firstly decide if there was a disorder present and identify it by name, then answer questions relating to treatment and help-seeking. Results showed that participants could identify Alzheimer’s Disease significantly more so than they could vascular or frontotemporal dementia. All three dementias were significantly more recognised when the vignette was described as a 70-year-old. Frontotemporal dementia was significantly misdiagnosed as depression. Participant education and mental health experience did not influence the identification of dementia. Compared to some other well-known mental illnesses like schizophrenia, lay people are relatively good at recognising Alzheimer’s disease, but much less so at other forms of dementia. Implications and limitations of the study are discussed.

COVID-19 social control measures (e.g. physical distancing and lockdowns) can have both immediate (social isolation, loneliness, anxiety, stress) and long-term effects (depression, post-traumatic stress disorder) on individuals’ mental health. This may be particularly true of adolescents living with HIV (ALHIV) and their caregivers – populations already overburdened by intersecting stressors (e.g. psychosocial, biomedical, familial, economic, social, or environmental). Addressing the adverse mental health sequelae of COVID-19 among ALHIV requires a multi-dimensional approach that at once (a) economically empowers ALHIV and their households and (b) trains, mentors, and supervises community members as lay mental health services providers. Mental health literacy programming can also be implemented to increase mental health knowledge, reduce stigma, and improve service use among ALHIV. Schools and HIV care clinics offer ideal environments for increasing mental health literacy and improving access to mental health services.

Background: Mental Health Literacy (MHL) is the ability to recognize mental disorders, along with knowledge of professional help available, effective self-help strategies, skills to give support to others, and knowledge of how to prevent mental disorders. Adequate MHL is linked to better health-seeking behavior and management of mental illness. Aim: To assess the MHL related to depression and anxiety among adolescents of age 15 to 19 years residing in Delhi Methods: A survey was conducted among adolescents in southeast Delhi. MHL was assessed using sex-matched vignettes of Common Mental Disorders (CMDs) like depression and anxiety. MHL was assessed under domains of identifications of disorders, help-seeking behavior, knowledge about prevention, and stigmatizing attitude toward the respective illness. Statistical analysis was done in STATA and percentage of participants with adequate MHL in various domains was calculated, and difference between various groups was examined using chi-square test. Results: A total of 491 adolescents participated (response rate of 87.2%) of whom a 50.3% were girls and 57.8% were 15 to 17 years of age. Only 50 (10.2%) participants identified depression vignette as that of depression and 51 (10.4%) identified vignette of anxiety disorder as the same. No statistically significant gender differential in MHL was seen ( p value = .8). The stigmatizing attitude, assessed by asking a series of questions suggesting stigma toward the particular illness, was observed among almost all participants (depression -99.4%, and anxiety disorders -96.1%). 18.3% and 18.7% of participants reported correct knowledge about the prevention of depression and anxiety respectively. Four hundred and twenty-two (86%) identified the need to seek help for symptoms reported in vignettes. Of these, 234 (55%) preferred parents, and 62 (14.7%) look after friends for any help. Conclusion: Adolescents residing in Delhi reported poor MHL for Common Mental Disorders. High stigma and poor help-seeking behavior was also observed among the participants toward CMDs

Purpose: Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training has been proven to improve the literacy of trainees and reduce the stigma they may have toward individuals with mental health problems in the general population. Our research was designed to determine whether MHFA training had an impact on physiotherapy students’ attitudes toward psychiatry and mental illness, their confidence to engage with people with mental health problems, and their preparedness for practice. Method: Final-year students from one university who had finished MHFA training completed a questionnaire that included the Attitudes Toward Psychiatry–30 and questions about their perceived confidence in working with people with mental illness and preparedness for practice. Their responses were compared with those from a previous cohort of students at the same point in their university education who had not completed MHFA training. Results: The students who had completed MHFA training (response rate 83%) had a more positive attitude toward psychiatry and mental illness than those who had not ( p

In Japan, the number of patients with mental illness is increasing; therefore, the need for national measures, such as suicide prevention measures and measures against alcohol health disorders, and multiple social concerns and needs, such as depression and dementia problems, are increasing. As such, measures for mental health are emphasized. Mental health is a common issue; however, there is still prejudice regarding mental illness, and its understanding and awareness by local residents and medical staff need to be improved. The author introduced a medication self-management module in the psychiatric ward to improve medication adherence, and constructed a program for mental health literacy education in the faculty of pharmacy. This paper outlines these studies.

BACKGROUND: Parents’ perceptions of their children’s mental health – including recognition of specific mental health problems as such, and their beliefs about the causes and treatments for the problems – have an important impact on child mental health. AIMS: This study investigated child mental health literacy among Cambodian and Vietnamese mothers. METHOD: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 357 mothers in Hanoi, Vietnam, and Pnom Penh and Kampong Speu, Cambodia. The Child Mental Health Literacy Questionnaire was used to assess mothers’ mental health literacy, in particular their ability to correctly identify different mental health disorders, and their understanding of causes of the mental health problems, and about the utility of different treatments. RESULTS: The overall level of mental health literacy among mothers in these two countries was low, with the proportions of mothers able to correctly identify different mental health problems ranging from 0.17 (Oppositional Defiant Disorder) to 0.35 (Trauma-related). Biological causes and adverse experiences were the most frequently selected causes of generic mental health problems. Medication, parent training and family counseling were the three most positively rated forms of treatment for mental health problems in general. CONCLUSION: Although Vietnam and Cambodia are geographic neighbors, varying results across these countries appear to reflect their different historical backgrounds. For instance, the largest difference between the two countries was for trauma-related problems, which may be related to the Cambodian history of genocide. Findings such as this demonstrate the need for contextually developed and focused public health intervention for mothers of children to improve their mental health literacy.

Studies of Postgraduate Researchers (PGRs) have highlighted that the population may be at risk of developing symptoms of common mental health problems. Early intervention and preventative measures may reduce this risk, such as improving mental health literacy (MHL). However, it is unclear what the relationship is between MHL and outcomes such as help-seeking behaviour, psychological distress and wellbeing, in PGRs. Therefore, the current study aimed to explore this relationship. A secondary aim of this study was to compare data collected from PGRs with undergraduate students (AUTHOR, 2017). Two-hundred and forty one PGRs from two universities in England completed an anonymous online quantitative survey, with PGRs reporting on their MHL (O’Connor & Casey, 2015), help-seeking behaviour (Wilson et al., 2005), psychological distress (Kessler et al., 2005), and wellbeing (Tennant et al., 2007), in addition to demographic and academic characteristics. Results indicated that 70% of PGRs were experiencing symptoms categorised as mild to severe psychological distress. Stepwise multiple regressions revealed that lower levels of wellbeing predicted higher levels of distress and lower levels of help-seeking behaviour. Compared with undergraduate students, PGRs in this study reported higher levels of psychological distress compared to undergraduate students, after adjusting for age, sex, and previous diagnosis of a mental health problem, as well as MHL, after adjusting for sex and previous diagnosis (p < 0.05). No significant differences were observed between the groups for help-seeking behaviour, or wellbeing (all p > 0.05). Study findings suggest that PGRs, at the start of the academic year, are distressed and may not be seeking appropriate help for their concerns. Further studies should explore the environmental factors that may exacerbate mental health concerns beyond that associated with a challenging degree, within the PGR population.

Objective: Mental health awareness (MHA) campaigns have been shown to be successful in improving mental health literacy, decreasing stigma, and generating public discussion. However, there is a dearth of evidence regarding the effects of these campaigns on behavioral outcomes such as suicides. Therefore, the objective of this article is to characterize the association between the event and suicide in Canada’s most populous province and the content of suicide-related tweets referencing a Canadian MHA campaign (Bell Let’s Talk Day [BLTD]). Methods: Suicide counts during the week of BTLD were compared to a control window (2011 to 2016) to test for associations between the BLTD event and suicide. Suicide tweets geolocated to Ontario, posted in 2016 with the BLTD hashtag were coded for specific putatively harmful and protective content. Results: There was no associated change in suicide counts. Tweets ( n = 3,763) mainly included content related to general comments about suicide death (68%) and suicide being a problem (42.8%) with little putatively helpful content such as stories of resilience (0.6%) and messages of hope (2.2%). Conclusions: In Ontario, this national mental health media campaign was associated with a high volume of suicide-related tweets but not necessarily including content expected to diminish suicide rates. Campaigns like BLTD should strongly consider greater attention to suicide-related messaging that promotes help-seeking and resilience. This may help to further decrease stigmatization, and potentially, reduce suicide rates.

Policing is a high risk, high stress occupation involving repeated exposure to distressing situations. High levels of emotional and physical exhaustion lead to increased prevalence of psychological disorders such as post-traumatic stress, depression, and anxiety. Mental health stigma is prevalent among police and is one of the most significant barriers to seeking mental health services. The current study contributes to the limited body of existing empirical research examining stigmatization and help-seeking behavior in policing. The research involves a nationwide study of USA law enforcement personnel, giving a snapshot of mental health stigma on a large scale and with national representation. It was found that over 90% of officers perceive stigma as negatively influencing help-seeking behavior. Even when officers do seek help and find it effective, stigma remains at alarmingly high levels and is not reduced by help-seeking behaviors. This study has important implications for police agencies. Regardless of the efforts of police agencies in increasing mental health literacy and offering greater and better access to mental health services, if stigma remains, such efforts will be rendered ineffective, or at the very least, severely limited.

Objective: A national program on providing comprehensive social and mental health services, entitled “SERAJ” was developed and piloted in three districts of Iran. The present study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of SERAJ by conducting assessments before and after the implementation in the intervention and the control areas. Method: This was a controlled community trial that was assessed by conducting repeated surveys in the intervention and the control areas. In total, 2952 and 2874 individuals were assessed in the intervention and the control areas, respectively. The change in prevalence of mental disorders (using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview; CIDI), service utilization, mental health literacy, happiness, and perceived social support were measured over 18 months in three districts of Osko, Bardsir, and Quchan as the intervention areas, which were compared with three matched districts as the control areas. Results: No significant difference was found in the mean score of happiness between the intervention and the control areas throughout the study period. Most aspects of mental health literacy were improved in the intervention areas after implementing the intervention. The mean score of social support decreased after implementing the intervention in all areas. The prevalence of mental disorders in the intervention districts was significantly reduced after 18 months. The rate of using any mental health services after the intervention was not statistically different between the intervention and the control areas. Conclusion: There was no significant change in some indicators in the intervention compared with the control areas. We suggest evaluating SERAJ’s achievements and challenges in the three intervention districts before expanding the implementation of this pilot experience into other districts.

Background: Worldwide, mental health is a big problem and Saudi Arabia is not far behind in observing this. It seems that progress in the field of mental health is slow. Interventions in mental health education have resulted in positive results. Participation by family members, sensitization to care and social integration include some of methods believed to target understanding and counter stigma surrounding mental illness. Aim: To assess mental health literacy among female students of secondary schools in Abha city, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional study from May 2019 to 2020 was conducted at the female governmental secondary schools in Abha sector. A total sample of 350 female students from a total of 5000 students were included. Sampled students were selected from secondary schools using probability proportionate to size using two stage cluster sample technique. Data were collected from students directly using pre-structured questionnaire. The researchers created the study questionnaire after extensive literature review and expert consultation. Results: Almost half (48.9%) study participants had good awareness of the signs and indications of anxiety and depression. Loss of confidence and poor self-esteem were identified as signs of depression by 81%, sleep disturbance by 77% and disturbed appetite by 76.2% participants. Parent's education level and occupation, participant's educational performance and family living arrangement were significantly related with their awareness in univariate analysis. Father's education level (ORA = 1.45), maternal engagement with occupation (ORA = 4.18) and participant living with parents (ORA = 5.4) were identified as predictors of mental health awareness. Social media was reported as the most common source of awareness. The approach towards individuals with mental illness were helpful. Conclusions and recommendations: In conclusion, the study revealed that secondary school students had satisfactory awareness level regarding mental health and its impact. They exhibited positive attitude towards friendship with person having mental illness.

Background Preventative interventions may be effective in reducing and preventing symptoms of mental ill health in children and young people. However, there is a paucity of research in this area that explores the views of young people. This paper reports on a qualitative study to inform the future development of attractive and appropriate early and preventative school-based mental health interventions. Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of 12 young people aged 14–17 in North East England. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, anonymised and analysed following a thematic approach. Results Four key themes were identified, relevant to those providing, designing and commissioning early and preventative mental health interventions in schools: ‘mental health literacy’, ‘risk factors for wellbeing decline’, ‘experience of school-based support’ and ‘recommendations for future support’. Conclusions Young people have varying levels of mental health literacy, but are able to identify academic stress, bullying and the transition from primary to secondary school as leading causes of worry. Young people want more regular and in-depth mental health education, tailored levels of support in school and improved training for teachers.

Over the past 25 years, a remarkable change has occurred in Australia, whereby the public have become much more like psychiatrists in their thinking. This is seen both in the everyday use of psychiatric concepts and in beliefs about appropriate treatment. This article examines evidence for this change, discusses what might have produced it, asks whether it has benefited the mental health of Australians and considers what further changes in thinking might be needed.

Purpose This study primarily aims to evaluate the mental health literacy (MHL) of the Lebanese adult population in an attempt to yield results that can help fill the gap in the literature and support the development of new strategies to counter mental health stigma. Design/methodology/approach A cross-sectional survey was composed of the Mental Health Knowledge Schedule and select questions from the Community Attitudes toward the Mentally Ill and MHL Scale. The surveys were collected from a representative population of sample size (n = 386) among the different governorates of Lebanon. The participants, aged 18–65 years and literate, were recruited between July 2018 and September 2018 from supermarkets widely distributed across the country. Findings The results showed that the Lebanese population possesses average knowledge and certain stigmatizing attitudes toward mental illnesses. Curricular education and awareness campaigns may help refine the image of mental illness among the population. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper is one of the first in Lebanon to assess the MHL of its population as a whole. It gives insight into the common misconceptions about mental illness and patterns of the related stigma that are prevalent in the Lebanese society today.

Background: Adolescence is defined by key transitional elements which are considered within a cross-cultural context. The importance of building mental health capacity for adolescents in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) as well as high-income countries (HICs) is reviewed. Objectives: To review the developmental period of adolescence, global needs for mental health promotion, the needs of LMICs while emphasizing building adolescent mental health capacity, and the importance of efforts to promote mental health literacy. Methods: Mental health literacy (MHL) is presented as a strategy that can increase public awareness regarding mental health issues among adolescents. Increased awareness through an MHL framework is discussed as a way to build adolescent mental health capacity; with this work ideally occurring through global communities of practice (COP), dialogue, collaboration, and mutual support that aim to build innovation in systems of mental health promotion. Results: The authors review structural components in research, practice, and policy that seek to build global adolescent mental health capacity, nested within COPs involving HICs and LMICs working together to advance mental health promotion for children, adolescents, and young people. Conclusion: The article concludes with a discussion of how the three structural components (i.e., research, practice, and policy) can address gaps in the provision of global mental health services for adolescents to meet adolescent mental health needs in LMICs and HICs. A multi-sectoral approach emphasizing a global COP is presented as a way to scale up capacity and maximize outcomes.

The upsurge in the number of people affected by the COVID-19 is likely to lead to increased rates of emotional trauma and mental illnesses. This article systematically reviewed the available data on the benefits of interventions to reduce adverse mental health sequelae of infectious disease outbreaks, and to offer guidance for mental health service responses to infectious disease pandemic. PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, PsycINFO, WHO Global Research Database on infectious disease, and the preprint server medRxiv were searched. Of 4278 reports identified, 32 were included in this review. Most articles of psychological interventions were implemented to address the impact of COVID-19 pandemic, followed by Ebola, SARS, and MERS for multiple vulnerable populations. Increasing mental health literacy of the public is vital to prevent the mental health crisis under the COVID-19 pandemic. Group-based cognitive behavioral therapy, psychological first aid, community-based psychosocial arts program, and other culturally adapted interventions were reported as being effective against the mental health impacts of COVID-19, Ebola, and SARS. Culturally-adapted, cost-effective, and accessible strategies integrated into the public health emergency response and established medical systems at the local and national levels are likely to be an effective option to enhance mental health response capacity for the current and for future infectious disease outbreaks. Tele-mental healthcare services were key central components of stepped care for both infectious disease outbreak management and routine support; however, the usefulness and limitations of remote health delivery should also be recognized.

University students show high rates of mental health disorders and low rates of treatment seeking. Mental Health Literacy (MHL) is associated with increased service use and better mental health. We...

Mental and substance use disorders are leading causes of disability worldwide. Yet only 10% of individuals globally receive treatment for such disorders, with an even higher treatment gap in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). Serious mental illnesses (SMI), defined as a mental, behavioral, or emotional disorders resulting in serious functional impairment, primarily including bipolar disorder and schizophrenia spectrum disorder, remain misunderstood in countries with limited infrastructure (financial and human capital). This study explores the lived experiences, social ecologies, and political framework for the treatment of individuals living with serious mental illness in Uganda. This scoping review identified relevant publications using (1) a Boolean search, (2) manual screening of eligible publications, (3) identification of additional peer-reviewed articles and grey literature by hand searching the final list of included records, (4) thematic analysis and grounded theory to categorize studies into representative aspects of compiled literature, based on emerging themes of people with serious mental illnesses (PWSMI) ecologies, and (5) rigorous data extraction and analysis, guided by a comprehensive exclusion strategy for eligibility. The 41 eligible articles included aspects of prevalence, comorbidities, caregiver involvement, and treatment pathways (traditional healers, community healthcare workers, primary care clinics, and national referral hospitals) for PWSMI in Uganda. Due to a lack of community mental health literacy, there are barriers to accessing high-quality, holistic mental healthcare for afflicted individuals. People seek care wherever they can find it, and if they believe their symptoms align with the treatment modalities. For example, beliefs in spirit possession may lead a PWSMI to visit the neighborhood traditional healer before the more distant national referral hospital. Research further illustrated a direct link between the aforementioned ecologies and a decreased quality of life in caregivers due to the economic loss, erratic behaviors of the afflicted, and the strain of caring for PWSMI when interfacing with allopathic medicine. Stock-outs in health facilities and limited human resources cause overburdened health systems and the utilization of less efficacious psychotropic medications inconsistently. Additionally, misdiagnoses are common due to the lack of service oversight, and PWSMI often endure severe untreated side-effects from both traditional and allopathic medicine providers. While this study outlines the current pathways to care, there is room for improvement, including lessons for improving mental health policy and the implementation of appropriate community-based mental health practices. PWSMI are often left with low-quality choices to access care. This study suggests that, by critically analyzing community needs and complimentary programs, the livelihoods of people with serious mental illness and their caregivers can be vastly improved. Although PWSMI struggle with mental, physical, and social concerns, they are largely undervalued in the Ugandan context and isolated from society. Their pathways to recovery are wrought with frustrating encounters with peers and painful side-effects of treatment.

Purpose In the recent years, it was possible to observe two trends: First, there has been a trend to greater mental health literacy, in particular towards a biological model of schizophrenia. Secondly, an increase in public acceptance of professional help and psychiatric treatment has been observed in western countries. This indicates that the societal idea about mental illness and how it can be treated has changed. However, no changes or even changes to the worse occurred regarding the attitudes towards those suffering from the illness, particularly concerning schizophrenia. Thus, the question arises as to whether similar trends can also be found in Austria. Methods We use data from two representative population surveys in Austria, conducted 1998 (n = 1042) and 2018 (n = 1010) using face-to-face interviews, the same sampling procedure, interview mode, and interview schedule. Results The data show that today Austrians tend to opt less frequently for genetic factors and chronic stress as causes of schizophrenia than 20 years ago. There were only slight changes regarding intended first help-seeking actions except for a stronger endorsement of lay help. The believe in an effective treatment of schizophrenia has increased significantly and there was a marked trend towards preference of medication over psychotherapy. Social acceptance of people with schizophrenia has increased, but also the ascription of violence. Conclusion In summary, the evolution of attitudes and beliefs concerning schizophrenia in Austria shows a rather inconsistent pattern and differs to some extent from what has been observed in other western countries. This is important to know when planning awareness-raising or stigma-reducing initiatives.

Objectives: The prevalence rates for mental health (MH) problems in cancer patients is high, although reduced uptake of services may be influenced by mental health literacy (MHL). The objective of this study was to investigate the MHL for depression and panic disorder (PD), including treatment preferences in Australian adults who had been diagnosed and treated for cancer, and whether MHL and treatment preferences was influenced by sex, age, and individuals' lived MH experience. Method: A total of 421 cancer survivors (n = 378 females) completed a self-report survey. Participants were asked to specify whether they had a lived experience with anxiety and/or depression, and to indicate treatment preferences for managing cancer-related distress. Two vignettes were administered to assess MHL for depression and PD. Results: The MHL accuracy for depression was higher than PD. Accuracy rates were higher for females with a lived experience with anxiety and/or depression; although the accuracy rate for PD was significantly lower in males. A high proportion of individuals preferred exercise and in-person counselling to manage depression and PD. Internet-based therapies were not strongly preferred for managing MH problems. Conclusions: The MHL for depression and PD is moderate for adult cancer survivors, with higher levels indicated for individuals with a personal lived experience with anxiety and/or depression. Public health campaigns for enhancing MHL should broaden to include individuals experiencing comorbid physical health conditions. Health providers also need to take into account client preferences for evidence-based therapies.

Background: Having a proper approach to depression requires having sufficient depressive literacy in the affected person. Aims: This study aimed to evaluate the level of depression literacy among hospital staff affiliated to Isfahan University of Medical Sciences (IUMS) and to reveal the risk factors and knowledge gaps. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study with 760 participants from university hospital staff at IUMS who were selected by a census method from April 2018 to December 2018. The data regarding depression signs and symptoms, anti-depressant drugs safety, non-medical treatment efficacy, etc. were collected using the Depression Literacy Questionnaire (D-Lit-22) and were analysed by SPSS-20, using the Pearson correlation coefficient, independent Samples t-test and analysis of variance (ANOVA) ( p ⩽ .05). Results: The mean age of participants was 35.33 ± 8.00 years old and 77.6% of them were female. The mean of the total score of depression literacy was 11.62 ± 3.53. Depression Literacy score was significantly higher in those with higher education levels, female gender and clinical staff ( p < .001). The inability to distinguish depression from other mental disorders as well as having wrong beliefs about suitable treatment approaches were the most considerable gaps in depression literacy. Conclusion: Male gender, low level of academic education and working in non-medical wards are the main factors associated with lower depression literacy in our studied sample. The poor differentiation of depression and wrong beliefs in depression treatment modalities were the largest gaps which require more educational programmes.

To compare the mental health literacy (MHL) of pharmacists in Nigeria and their comfort rendering pharmacy services to patients with mental illness with that of pharmacists in developed countries.A cross-sectional study design was employed. Questionnaires containing closed, ordinal, Likert-type, and multi-choice questions were used to elicit information from the respondents.Pharmacists from all areas of practice attending the 91st Annual Conference of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria from October 29 to November 3, 2018, were conveniently sampled.Pharmacists' MHL, stigma, desired social distance, and comfort rendering pharmacy services were compared with relevant literature from developed countries.Of the approximately 360 pharmacists who received the survey, 117 responded (32.5%). Although less than half (45.3%, n = 48) of the pharmacists reported that antidepressants were beneficial in treating depressive symptoms, almost all of them (96.2%, n = 102) rated antipsychotics to be helpful for schizophrenia. The desired social distance was higher in schizophrenia than in depression (P = 0.001). More than half (57.1%, n = 61) of the pharmacists surveyed believed that violence was more likely among persons with a mental illness. The respondents reported a higher level of comfort giving medication advice to patients with cardiovascular disease than to those with mental illness (P0.001). Approximately one-third (34.0%, n = 36) of the pharmacists agreed that they had sufficient training in the identification and management of mental illness. Literature from developed countries showed high levels of MHL among pharmacists in terms of knowledge but relatively high levels of stigma, desired social distance, and discomfort rendering pharmaceutical care to patients with mental illness.The findings indicate some knowledge gaps and misconceptions among Nigerian pharmacists regarding mental illness. The stigma and desired social distance among pharmacists in this study were comparable to findings from developed countries.

The saying "mental illness is like any other illness" has increasingly become pervasive in promoting mental health literacy among the public in China. This discourse is based on the fact that mental illness is attributed to primarily biogenetic causes. This study comprises an investigation of the impact of causal attributions of mental illness on the social withdrawal inclination of people with chronic mental illnesses (PCMIs) in China. Drawing on attribution theory and a sample of PCMIs, the current authors further question the effectiveness of biogenetic discourse to combat social stigma and to integrate PCMIs into society. In addition, in response to the proliferation of discussion on the digital inclusion of those with mental disabilities, this study constructs a structural model in which the varied effects of supportive communication are used as bridging factors, including face-to-face, telephonic and social media communication. The results indicate a stronger social withdrawal inclination when the PCMIs attributed their illnesses to biogenetic causes. In addition, biogenetic attribution was also found to potentially hinder the PCMIs from using the telephone and social media to seek supportive communication, while psychosocial attribution was found to have potential to combat PCMIs' social withdrawal inclination. In this vein, this study calls for further investigation on the conditional factors upon which digital inclusion might work for PCMIs in China.

Given that the prevalence of mental illness is significantly higher in the criminal justice system than the general population in the United States, this study examined the mental health literacy o...

Low mental health service utilization among vulnerable groups with mental health needs has been an ongoing public health concern. Guided by the Gateway Provider Model, this study focuses on public housing employees, a unique gateway provider group, who are within close proximity with public housing residents, a vulnerable group who may experience more psychological distress and mental illness. The present study examined the relationships of mental health literacy, stigma, attitude toward mental health treatment, exposure to mental health treatment, and training to confidence among public housing employees (N = 193) in helping someone with mental illness. Findings show that confidence is associated with mental health literacy and training, yet no relationship between confidence and stigma, and confidence and previous exposure to mental health treatment were found. The findings emphasize the importance of mental health literacy and training of gateway providers as a possible way to promote mental health in the community.

The belief that people with mental illnessare unpredictable,violentand dangerousstill persistsin today’ssociety, with indiscriminate beliefs about mental and psychiatric illnesses that harm the quality of life of people who suffer from them. Objectives: To identify the socio-demographic variables that interfere in the beliefs, about mental illness, of the professionals of education, health and safety; to find out how the socio-professional variables interfere in the beliefs, about mental illness, of the professionals of education, health and safety. Methods: Quantitative, transversal and descriptive-correlational study. Data were collected from 136 educational agents, 62.5% of whom were teachers, 32.4% nurses and 5.1% public security agents, mostly female (70.6%), with an average age of 48.34 years (±7.49 years). A socio-demographic and socio-professional characterisation questionnaire and the Mental Illness Belief Inventory (Loureiro, Dias e Ferreira, 2009) were used as data collection tools. Results: Educational agents (education, health and safety professionals) present higher levels of beliefs regarding the recognition of the disease (M=4.69±0.64) and regarding mental illness as a medical condition (M=4.48±0.73), with lower average index in the cause of stigma and discrimination (M=2.21±0.68). The sociodemographic variables that interfered with mental health beliefs are gender, age and education; the socioprofessional variables that influenced mental health beliefs in education, health and safety professionals were the professional group and length of service; the predictor variables of incurability, recognition of illness, dangerousness and belief in mental illness as a medical condition are age, male gender, urban residents and length of service ≤20 years. Conclusions: The results of this study lead to infer the need to develop training actions and/or health education programs in order to provide communities with more mental health literacy, where the nurse has a prominent role as a promoter of mental health literacy, which will certainly contribute to the demystification of beliefs about mental illness and a better care of the person with mental pathology.

Experiences of patients with mental illness inpatient facility though seem very relevant for discourse in generating inferences to improve inpatient facilities, but seems redundant when patients and their caregivers become passive in decision making related to admission of the patient. The study was undertaken to find out the willingness on hospital stay among the tribal patients with mental illness and their caregivers visiting a psychiatric set-up. A descriptive study had been undertaken to find out the objectives of the study. Data were collected at the Ispat General Hospital from fifty tribal respondents who were admitted to the department of psychiatry. Nearly about 88% of patients with mental illness are not interested to stay in the hospital; whereas 76% of caregivers express their inability on hospital stays with the patients at the psychiatric department. Improved hospital conditions are highly required that should be more patient and caregivers friendly. Mental health literacy is to be given to the tribal community, which will help them in getting proper medical facilities thereby increasing the health care of tribals.

Mental health is a major component of overall health and is considered a contributor to the significant levels of disability in Saudi Arabia. Levels of mental health knowledge and awareness, particularly in the school setting, require investigation. The purpose of this study was therefore to explore the levels of mental health knowledge among secondary school female teachers, their readiness to support the mental health needs of their students, and the perceived barriers to supporting mental health. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 35 female secondary public schools in Riyadh between July and September 2019. A modified Knowledge, Barriers and Perceived Readiness Survey was distributed to female secondary school teachers. The primary outcomes were levels of knowledge, perceived barriers, and perceived readiness. Among the 431 participants who completed the survey, 84% were teachers of direct involvement with the students. Overall, participants showed poor knowledge, perceived their barriers as higher, and demonstrated poor readiness, as indicated by the percentage who scored below a 75th percentile cut-off point (74%, 64%, and 69%, respectively). The southern region of the city had lower levels of readiness (OR 3.34; 95% CI 1.547–7.447) compared to the eastern area of Riyadh. Our findings demonstrate that female secondary public school teachers and staff in Riyadh have low levels of mental health knowledge and readiness and perceive barriers with regard to mental health support and services. Focused awareness programs and campaigns, particularly in the eastern part of the city, may therefore be beneficial. Further implications are discussed.