Factors Associated with Depression-Related Mental Health Literacy in Patients who Attend Emergency Services in Taiwan - Abstract
Objectives: Patients attending emergency services are in need of better mental health literacy (MHL) for self-care and proper help-seeking for mental health problems. The study aimed to exam in emergency patient’s depression-related mental health literacy and factors associated with the knowledge, attitudes and help-seeking toward depressive symptoms.
Methods: This is an observational cross-sectional study of a convenience sampling of adult patients presenting to an urban university-affiliated emergency department in northern Taiwan during October 2014 and March 2015. Patient interviews were performed by a research assistant using standardized procedures to collect information including depression-related mental health literacy, help-seeking, and attitudes toward depressive symptoms described in a case vignette. The primary outcome variable was the level of depression-related MHL in rating the cause of depressive symptoms in a case vignette. Descriptive and correlational statistics were performed between higher/lower levels of MHL, defining by relative correctness of the awareness and recognition of depressive symptoms as mental or physical-and-mental health problems.
Results: Among the 384 patients recruited, better MHL were characterized as being more likely to give psychologically distressed friends proper advices, havingfewer perceived stigmatized attitudes of psychiatric illnesses and services, and having more optimistic views about mental health treatments. However, prior help-seeking behaviors for depressive symptoms did not differ by levels of MHL.
Conclusions: A higher level of MHL may help to shape an individual’s gatekeeping role and stigmatized attitudes for mental illness. Developing an effective mental health literacy program to enhance the recognition of depression among emergency patients may be needed to promote help-seeking and prevent early-stage mental health problems.