Do depression literacy, mental illness beliefs and stigma influence mental health help-seeking attitude? A cross-sectional study of secondary school and university students from B40 households in Malaysia
Abstract Background Mental illness rates among young people is high, yet the frequency of help-seeking is low, especially among those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. Understanding factors influencing help-seeking, such as mental illness beliefs, stigma and literacy among B40 individuals is imp...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2019-06-01
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| Series: | BMC Public Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12889-019-6862-6 |
| _version_ | 1811286078408097792 |
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| author | Norhayati Ibrahim Noh Amit Suzana Shahar Lei-Hum Wee Rozmi Ismail Rozainee Khairuddin Ching Sin Siau Aisyah Mohd Safien |
| author_facet | Norhayati Ibrahim Noh Amit Suzana Shahar Lei-Hum Wee Rozmi Ismail Rozainee Khairuddin Ching Sin Siau Aisyah Mohd Safien |
| author_sort | Norhayati Ibrahim |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Mental illness rates among young people is high, yet the frequency of help-seeking is low, especially among those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. Understanding factors influencing help-seeking, such as mental illness beliefs, stigma and literacy among B40 individuals is important, but past studies are sparse. Hence, we aimed to examine the factors associated with mental help-seeking attitude among students from the B40 income bracket. Differences in beliefs toward mental illness, stigma and help-seeking attitudes among university and secondary school students were also investigated. Methods University and secondary school students from low-income households (N = 202) were involved in this cross-sectional study. Participants completed the Depression Literacy Questionnaire (D-Lit), General Help Seeking Questionnaire (GHSQ), Mental Help Seeking Attitudes Scale (MHSAS), Self-Stigma of Seeking Help Scale (SSOSH), and Beliefs toward Mental Illness (BMI). Results Mental help-seeking attitude had a significant relationship with self-stigma on seeking help (r = −.258, p < .001), general help-seeking attitude (r = .156, p = .027), and age (r = .187, p < .001). However, the strongest predictor for mental help-seeking attitude was self-stigma on seeking help (F (2,199) = 8.207, p < .001 with R2 of .076). University students had better depression literacy and lower levels of self-stigma and negative beliefs toward mental illness compared to secondary school students. Conclusion Higher self-stigma and younger age were associated with negative mental help-seeking attitudes among students from low-income households. As self-stigma may be a barrier to actual mental help-seeking, efforts to reduce self-stigma in this population need to be intensified. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T02:54:12Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b445618d22d249dda1feb6710d829022 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2458 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T02:54:12Z |
| publishDate | 2019-06-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-b445618d22d249dda1feb6710d8290222022-12-22T03:05:44ZengBMCBMC Public Health1471-24582019-06-0119S41810.1186/s12889-019-6862-6Do depression literacy, mental illness beliefs and stigma influence mental health help-seeking attitude? A cross-sectional study of secondary school and university students from B40 households in MalaysiaNorhayati Ibrahim0Noh Amit1Suzana Shahar2Lei-Hum Wee3Rozmi Ismail4Rozainee Khairuddin5Ching Sin Siau6Aisyah Mohd Safien7Health Psychology Program, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan MalaysiaHealth Psychology Program, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan MalaysiaResearch Centre for Healthy Aging and Wellness, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan MalaysiaCentre for Community Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan MalaysiaCentre of Human and Societal Well-being, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Universiti Kebangsaan MalaysiaCentre of Human and Societal Well-being, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Universiti Kebangsaan MalaysiaHealth Psychology Program, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan MalaysiaHealth Psychology Program, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan MalaysiaAbstract Background Mental illness rates among young people is high, yet the frequency of help-seeking is low, especially among those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. Understanding factors influencing help-seeking, such as mental illness beliefs, stigma and literacy among B40 individuals is important, but past studies are sparse. Hence, we aimed to examine the factors associated with mental help-seeking attitude among students from the B40 income bracket. Differences in beliefs toward mental illness, stigma and help-seeking attitudes among university and secondary school students were also investigated. Methods University and secondary school students from low-income households (N = 202) were involved in this cross-sectional study. Participants completed the Depression Literacy Questionnaire (D-Lit), General Help Seeking Questionnaire (GHSQ), Mental Help Seeking Attitudes Scale (MHSAS), Self-Stigma of Seeking Help Scale (SSOSH), and Beliefs toward Mental Illness (BMI). Results Mental help-seeking attitude had a significant relationship with self-stigma on seeking help (r = −.258, p < .001), general help-seeking attitude (r = .156, p = .027), and age (r = .187, p < .001). However, the strongest predictor for mental help-seeking attitude was self-stigma on seeking help (F (2,199) = 8.207, p < .001 with R2 of .076). University students had better depression literacy and lower levels of self-stigma and negative beliefs toward mental illness compared to secondary school students. Conclusion Higher self-stigma and younger age were associated with negative mental help-seeking attitudes among students from low-income households. As self-stigma may be a barrier to actual mental help-seeking, efforts to reduce self-stigma in this population need to be intensified.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12889-019-6862-6Help-seekingAttitudeLow socioeconomicSelf-stigma |
| spellingShingle | Norhayati Ibrahim Noh Amit Suzana Shahar Lei-Hum Wee Rozmi Ismail Rozainee Khairuddin Ching Sin Siau Aisyah Mohd Safien Do depression literacy, mental illness beliefs and stigma influence mental health help-seeking attitude? A cross-sectional study of secondary school and university students from B40 households in Malaysia BMC Public Health Help-seeking Attitude Low socioeconomic Self-stigma |
| title | Do depression literacy, mental illness beliefs and stigma influence mental health help-seeking attitude? A cross-sectional study of secondary school and university students from B40 households in Malaysia |
| title_full | Do depression literacy, mental illness beliefs and stigma influence mental health help-seeking attitude? A cross-sectional study of secondary school and university students from B40 households in Malaysia |
| title_fullStr | Do depression literacy, mental illness beliefs and stigma influence mental health help-seeking attitude? A cross-sectional study of secondary school and university students from B40 households in Malaysia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Do depression literacy, mental illness beliefs and stigma influence mental health help-seeking attitude? A cross-sectional study of secondary school and university students from B40 households in Malaysia |
| title_short | Do depression literacy, mental illness beliefs and stigma influence mental health help-seeking attitude? A cross-sectional study of secondary school and university students from B40 households in Malaysia |
| title_sort | do depression literacy mental illness beliefs and stigma influence mental health help seeking attitude a cross sectional study of secondary school and university students from b40 households in malaysia |
| topic | Help-seeking Attitude Low socioeconomic Self-stigma |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12889-019-6862-6 |
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