scholarly journals Mental health literacy at the public health level in low and middle income countries: An exploratory mixed methods study in Vietnam

PLoS ONE ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (12) ◽  
pp. e0244573
Author(s):  
Hoang-Minh Dang ◽  
Trung T. Lam ◽  
Anh Dao ◽  
Bahr Weiss
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Literacy ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Mental Health Literacy ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
The Public ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Health Level

Purpose Mental health literacy (MHL) is key for mental health development, particularly in low-and-middle-income countries (LMIC) where mental health resources are limited. MHL development can be thought of as occurring at two levels: the individual person level (via direct contact, with specifically-targeted individuals), and the public health level (via indirect contact through public media, targeting the general public). Each approach has advantages and disadvantages. Methods The present mixed methods study assessed the status of and best approaches for development of mental health literacy in the Southeast Asian LMIC Vietnam. Because there has been relatively little discussion of MHL development at the public health level, this assessment focused on the public health level, although not exclusively. Because mental health professionals generally have the most in-depth understanding of their mental health system, study participants were 82 Vietnamese mental health professionals who completed a quantitative survey, with 48 participating in focus groups. Results Most of the professionals viewed MHL in Vietnam as low or very low, and that it was difficult or very difficult for the general public to find effective mental health services. Main barriers underlying these problems and more generally for developing MHL in Vietnam identified in the focus groups were: (a) misinformation in the media regarding mental health and mental illness; (b) lack of licensure for non-medical mental health professionals (e.g., psychologists; social workers); (c) lack of interest in mental health from upper-level leadership. Conclusions To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study assessing professionals’ perceptions regarding mental health literacy at both the public health and individual-person levels. Although sampling was restricted to Vietnamese professionals, results may provide initial preliminary guidance for other LMIC considering mental health literacy development at multiple levels.

scholarly journals Public recognition of mental disorders and beliefs about treatment: changes in Australia over 16 years

2012 ◽  
Vol 200 (5) ◽  
pp. 419-425 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicola J. Reavley ◽  
Anthony F. Jorm
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Literacy ◽  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
National Survey ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Mental Health Literacy ◽  
Public Recognition ◽  
Similar Survey ◽  
Treatment Changes

BackgroundA 1995 Australian national survey of mental health literacy showed poor recognition of disorders and beliefs about treatment that differed from those of health professionals. A similar survey carried out in 2003/4 showed some improvements over 8 years.AimsTo investigate whether recognition of mental disorders and beliefs about treatment have changed over a 16-year period.MethodA national survey of 6019 adults was carried out in 2011 using the same questions as the 1995 and 2003/4 surveys.ResultsResults showed improved recognition of depression and more positive ratings for a range of interventions, including help from mental health professionals and antidepressants.ConclusionsAlthough beliefs about effective medications and interventions have moved closer to those of health professionals since the previous surveys, there is still potential for mental health literacy gains in the areas of recognition and treatment beliefs for mental disorders. This is particularly the case for schizophrenia.

A Comparative Mental Health Literacy Survey of Psychiatrists and Other Mental Health Professionals in Singapore

2000 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
pp. 627-636 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gordon Parker ◽  
Helen Chen ◽  
Joshua Kua ◽  
Jennifer Loh ◽  
Anthony F. Jorm
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Literacy ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Mental Health Literacy ◽  
Hospital Staff ◽  
Traditional Healers ◽  
Specific Response ◽  
Similar Response ◽  
Response Options

Objective: The objectives of this study are, first, to replicate and extend an Australian approach to assessing mental health literacy by studying a sample of Singapore mental health professionals, and to focus on differences between judgements made by the psychiatrists in comparison with the other mental health professionals. Second, to compare the psychiatrists' judgements with those of Australian psychiatrists. Method: The Australian questionnaire, assessing responses in relation to vignettes of major depression and to schizophrenia was extended by adding a third vignette of mania, and by the addition of several region-specific response options. Nearly 500 questionnaires were distributed to representative staff (psychiatrists, nurses and allied health) of a large psychiatric institution in Singapore, with a response rate of 81%. Psychiatrists' judgements were compared with all other hospital staff, and with Australian psychiatrists' judgements. Results: The two principal contrast groups (Singapore psychiatrists and other Singapore mental health professionals) differed slightly in terms of diagnostic accuracy. The psychiatrists differed in favouring a more professionally focused model of intervention, while both professional groups viewed traditional healers and their practices as distinctly unhelpful. Direct comparison of psychiatrist ratings generated in Singapore and in Australia revealed quite similar response profiles. Conclusions: In addition to generating data of some intrinsic importance, comparison with Australian survey data allows the potential impact of regional and cultural differences, as well as of varying psychiatric practices, to be identified. Responses identified more similarities than differences in the judgements of the psychiatrists from the two countries.

scholarly journals Effect of counseling by paraprofessionals on depression, anxiety, somatization, and functioning in Indonesian torture survivors

2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 11
Author(s):  
Deborah Larson-Stoa ◽  
Gerard A. Jacobs ◽  
Abraham Jonathan ◽  
Bhava Poudyal
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Political Violence ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Counseling Services ◽  
Torture Survivors ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Impairment In Functioning

The Indonesian population has faced political violence, victimization, and torture throughout the last 70 years. Due to the scarcity of mental health professionals in many low and middle-income countries, counseling programs are increasingly utilizing paraprofessionals to provide support to the affected population as a strategy of task shifting. In this article, we would like to examine the effectiveness of counseling services provided by such trained paraprofessionals. This study was part of program evaluation to determine whether the participants (torture survivors) improved after counseling services provided by trained paraprofessionals in Indonesia. Local communities were invited to join the psychosocial program created and implemented by an NGO in 2005. The 178 participants were recruited from Jakarta, Papua, and Aceh, Indonesia for the program, which aimed to help survivors of violence suffering from “heavy hearts.” The intervention lasted three months, and the follow-up intake was conducted after four months. The results indicated the participants’ anxiety symptoms, depressive symptoms, somatic symptoms, and functioning improved from the intake to the follow-up. The program appeared to have been effective in reducing the participants’ symptoms and impairment in functioning. This indicates that in countries where there is a scarcity of mental health professionals, working with paraprofessionals has the potential to help survivors of torture and violence.

scholarly journals The Nepal earthquake: use of a disaster to improve mental health literacy

2016 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 8-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. R. Shakya
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Literacy ◽  
Mental Disorder ◽  
Natural Disasters ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Mental Health Literacy ◽  
Psychosocial Interventions ◽  
Poor Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Awareness

People were not well prepared for the psychological aftermath of the earthquake in Nepal in April 2015. A higher rate of mental disorder was noted in the ensuing months and there was a need to develop psychosocial interventions, especially for those with poor mental health literacy. Acceptable, affordable and accessible mental health awareness programmes were required. Through examples of strategies adopted by the author, this article asserts that the aftermath of natural disasters can give mental health professionals opportunities to improve mental health literacy.

scholarly journals A systematic review to evaluate the effectiveness of mental health literacy interventions implemented in schools and communities in low- and middle- income countries

BJPsych Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (S1) ◽  
pp. S271-S271
Author(s):  
Niamh McGuckin ◽  
Gerard Leavey
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Health Literacy ◽  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Mental Health Literacy ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Literacy Interventions ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Population Demographic

AimsMental health literacy campaigns have received increasing attention as a useful method of reducing the burden of mental disorders, by promoting public awareness and improving attitudes surrounding mental disorders. However, despite the wealth of research into the effectiveness of mental health literacy interventions in high-income countries, there is an absence of evaluations of these interventions in low-middle-income countries (LMICs). This systematic review aims to pool the evidence on effectiveness of these interventions in LMICs.MethodMEDLINE(OVID), PyschInfo, Scopus and reference lists of included studies were searched. Studies that quantitively measured the effectiveness of mental health literacy interventions amongst schools and communities in LMICs were included, regardless of study design. The included papers were not limited to a particular population demographic, ethnicity or educational level. Studies were included if conducted in LMICs according to the World Bank Classification. Each study was critically assessed according to CASP critical appraisal checklists.ResultTen studies met the inclusion and exclusion criteria, including 6 case series, 3 controlled before and after studies and 1 cross sectional study. Most of the studies claimed significant improvement of knowledge, attitudes and coping skills following the intervention. However, the overall the methodological quality of the studies was rated as fair to poor.ConclusionThe review found that mental health literacy interventions may have promising effects, however the pooled evidence of the effectiveness in LMICs was inconclusive. Further research into the effectiveness of these interventions would benefit from using a RCT design, or controlled-before and after studies, with careful control of confounding variables in order to further establish effect. This study provided insights into the barriers to effective implementation of these programs and examined the contextual appropriateness of such interventions. The review provides recommendations for policy makers for the development of future interventions.

Audience segmentation: identifying key stakeholders for mental health literacy interventions in India

2014 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 159-170 ◽  
Author(s):  
Santosh Loganathan ◽  
Matthew Kreuter
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Literacy ◽  
Health Communication ◽  
Mental Health Literacy ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Audience Segmentation ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Low And Middle Income

Purpose – Improving mental health literacy is a key component of any population-based mental health program, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Effective strategies to increase awareness and reduce stigma associated with mental health are sparse and have not been evaluated in India or among other low- and middle-income countries. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – The review was based on the literature obtained from articles identified by searches of Medline, PubMed, and Google (Scholar) with the Mesh terms “mental health literacy”, “developing countries,” and “audience segmentation” between 1979 and 2012. Information was also obtained by interacting with experts in the field of health communication and public health, one of whom (M.K.) is a co-author. Findings – Systematic reviews of studies among occidental countries have proposed that targeted approaches to mental health literacy are not only more effective, but also more cost-effective than general population approaches. Using audience segmentation to target distinct population sub-groups is a well-established best practice in health communication, is recommended for low resource settings and in situations with a limited budget, and may be especially effective when based on socio-cultural variables. Originality/value – Yet to date it has not been applied in India for mental-health-related communication. The need for such cost-effective, innovative, and equitable strategies for mental health literacy is the cornerstone to mitigate stigma associated with mental illness, and improve awareness among a proportionately illiterate population.

scholarly journals Mental Health Literacy in Healthcare Students: An Expansion of the Mental Health Literacy Scale

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 948
Author(s):  
Hsing-Jung Chao ◽  
Yin-Ju Lien ◽  
Yu-Chen Kao ◽  
I-Chuan Tasi ◽  
Hui-Shin Lin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Health Literacy ◽  
Psychometric Properties ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Convergent Validity ◽  
Mental Health Literacy ◽  
Healthcare Students

Objective: Although the recently developed mental health literacy scale showed significant score differences between general population and mental health professionals, to this date there is no published scale intended to specifically assess mental health literacy (MHL) in healthcare students. This study constructed a 26-item scale-based measure to assess multiple components of MHL and associated psychometric properties in a sample of medical and public health students of 11 universities in Taiwan. Methods: The development and validation of the scale comprised three phases: measure development, pilot testing (n = 32), and psychometric properties examination (n = 1294). Results: 26 items were generated for five factors: maintenance of positive mental health, recognition of mental illness, attitude to mental illness stigma, help-seeking efficacy, and help-seeking attitude. The scale demonstrated good content validity, internal consistency, and construct validity (factorial validity, convergent validity, discriminant validity, and known groups validity). Conclusions: The findings suggest that the Mental Health Literacy Scale for Healthcare Students (MHLS-HS) is a valid, reliable, and practical tool for identifying MHL gaps in medical and public health students. It has the potential to inform remedial curricular interventions for educators and evaluate intervention effectiveness.

scholarly journals Child and Adolescent Mental Health Training Programs for Non-specialist Mental Health Professionals in Low and Middle Income Countries: A Scoping Review of Literature

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vijay Raj ◽  
Vibhay Raykar ◽  
Ainsley M. Robinson ◽  
Md Rafiqul Islam
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Training Programs ◽  
Adolescent Mental Health ◽  
Child And Adolescent ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Low And Middle Income

AbstractLarge treatment deficits in child and adolescent mental health (CAMH) care exist in low and middle income countries (LMICs). This study reviewed CAMH training programs for non-specialist health professionals (NSHPs) in LMICs. Multiple databases were searched for peer-reviewed articles describing programs from 2005 to 2018. Educational source materials, trainee evaluation methods, and perspectives on teaching methods, course content and scheduling were studied. Six programs were identified. NSHPs were most appreciative of training which included case-based discussions, role plays and clinical demonstrations that were relevant to local contexts. A need for less intense and more flexible timetables to enable reflection was identified. WHO’s mental health gap action program intervention guide (mhGAP-IG) and international association of child and adolescent psychiatrists and allied professionals resources should be used; they are free, easily accessible, and developed with extensive international contributions. Additionally, mhGAP-IG assessment tool encourages mutual learning, thereby iteratively enhancing training programs.

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