Association of mental health literacy and depression symptoms among young adolescents in Selangor / Sarbhan Singh Lakha Singh
Mental health literacy (MHL) relating to depression (depression literacy) is a multifaceted concept comprising of knowledge of depression, help seeking and stigma components, that plays an important role in depression outcomes. The aim of this study was to examine the association of depression...
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Thesis |
| Published: |
2020
|
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://studentsrepo.um.edu.my/13295/ http://studentsrepo.um.edu.my/13295/4/sarbhan.pdf |
| Summary: | Mental health literacy (MHL) relating to depression (depression literacy) is a multifaceted
concept comprising of knowledge of depression, help seeking and stigma components,
that plays an important role in depression outcomes. The aim of this study was to examine
the association of depression literacy components namely knowledge of depression, help
seeking, stigmatising attitudes and adequacy of depression literacy with depression
symptoms among adolescent in Malaysia. This study reports on the common tools used
to examine depression literacy, validation of the MHL and Stigma questionnaire and
Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression scale (CES-D) Malay version
questionnaire, findings of the depression literacy components and the association of
depression literacy components with depression symptoms among adolescents. To
answer the objectives of this study, a systematic review, a validation study and one cross
sectional study was performed. The systematic review of studies reporting on tools used
to examine depression literacy and findings of depression literacy components was
carried out. One validation of tools and a cross sectional study were then conducted
among secondary school-going adolescent ages between 12 to 14 years in National
Secondary Schools from June to December 2017. The validation study involved 65
adolescents from two schools in the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur with aim to
validate the MHL and stigma questionnaire and the CES-D Malay version questionnaire.
The cross-sectional study involved 1707 adolescents from 46 schools in Selangor and was
for the purpose of examining the association of depression literacy components with
depression symptoms using the validated MHL and stigma questionnaire and the CES-D
iv
Malay version questionnaire. The systematic review identified vignette-based
methodology as the most commonly (85%) used tools to assess depression literacy.
Recognition of depression, symptoms of depression, intention to seek help, source of help
and personal stigma were the most commonly reported components of depression
literacy. Cronbach’s alpha across all constructs in the MHL and stigma questionnaire
ranged from 0.518 to 0.764 indicating acceptable levels of internal consistency. Cohen’s
kappa values for majority (59%) of items in the MHL and stigma questionnaire indicated
moderate level of agreement (0.41 and above). The CES-D Malay version questionnaire
reported no floor and ceiling effect, good internal consistency (Cronbach alpha 0.88) and
excellent test re-test reliability analysis (ICC= 0.93; 95% CI 0.851, 0.961). Prevalence of
depression symptoms among adolescents was 20.3%. Only a minority of participants
were able to correctly recognize depression 60 (3.5%) and were classified as having
adequate depression literacy 51 (3.0%). There was no significant association between
inadequate literacy and depression. Multivariate analysis further showed keeping a person
busy as a helpful first aid action (AOR = 1.75; 95% CI 1.19, 2.59), regard getting out in
the sunlight as harmful (AOR = 1.96; 95% CI 1.12, 3.45), would not tell anyone if having
a problem (AOR = 3.80; 95% CI 2.55, 5.67), perceive dangerousness towards people with
depression (AOR = 1.83; 95% CI 1.13, 2.95), not endorsing family as a source of help
(AOR = 2.19, 95% CI 1.02, 4.69), being worried what others might think if help is sought
(AOR = 1.67; 95% CI 1.02, 2.75), feeling that nothing can help (AOR=1.66 ; 95% CI
1.01, 2.70) and difficult to get an appointment (AOR=1.85 ; 95% CI 1.07, 3.19), were
significantly associated with depression. Several recommendations were made such as
integrating the concept of depression literacy into school based mental health services
and early screening of depression among adolescents.
Keywords: adolescent, mental health literacy, depression
|
|---|