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P-1012 - Mental Health Literacy: Keyword for Health Promotion and Prevention of Mental Disorders. a Study in a Portuguese Sample of Young and Adolescents

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 April 2020

L.M. Loureiro
Affiliation:
Escola Superior de Enfermagem de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
M. Rodrigues
Affiliation:
Escola Superior de Enfermagem de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
A. Mendes
Affiliation:
Escola Superior de Enfermagem de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
T. Pedreiro
Affiliation:
Escola Superior de Enfermagem de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
C. Sousa
Affiliation:
Escola Superior de Enfermagem de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal

Abstract

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Introduction

Mental health literacy is an emergent research area in the fields of health promotion and mental illness prevention in communitarian environment, considered one relevant variable in the professional help-seeking behavior.

Objectives

Evaluate the mental health literacy of Portuguese adolescents and youth concerning depression and schizophrenia; - Identify the contribute of the social demographic variables in mental health literacy.

Aim

Characterize the mental health literacy of adolescents and youth with the aim of create health promotion and mental illness prevention programs.

Methodology

Descriptive-correlational study. Sample of 671 students, randomly selected of Portuguese schools. 294 of male gender and 323 of female gender, with an average age of 15,20 (sd = 1,84 years). The data were collected with the Mental Health Literacy Evaluate Questionnaire (Loureiro, Pedreiro and Correia, 2011). The data were analyzed using the IBM-SPSS 20.

Results

Only 47,81% correctly identifies depression and 22,04% schizophrenia. Besides gender (p = 0,002), the familiarity with the mental illness and the socio demographic variables weren?t related to the recognition of the disorders.

Conclusions

The low levels of mental health literacy are a problem and a challenge, since they are associated with prejudiced and stigmatizing visions of the diseases and the ill with implications in the professional help-seeking behavior. The planning of programs should be alert since the adolescents and youth are the group with less interaction with the health system.

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Abstract
Copyright
Copyright © European Psychiatric Association 2012
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