Mental health literacy: Public knowledge and beliefs about mental disorders in mainland China

How gender and low mental health literacy are related to unmet need for mental healthcare: a cross-sectional population-based study in Sweden

BACKGROUND

Men are more likely to have unmet need for mental healthcare than women. However, an under-investigated aspect of the gender difference is the role of mental health literacy. This study investigated how combinations of gender and mental health literacy were related to two indicators of unmet need: not perceiving a need for mental healthcare despite poor mental health, and refraining from seeking mental healthcare.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study was based on a questionnaire sent to a general population sample, aged 16-84 years, in Stockholm County, Sweden, in 2019. Of the 1863 respondents (38%), 1563 were included (≥18 years). The sample was stratified into four groups, men and women with low or high mental health literacy, using the third quartile of the Mental Health Knowledge Schedule. The likelihood of not perceiving a need for mental healthcare and refraining from seeking mental healthcare, at any time in life, were investigated by calculating odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals.

RESULTS

Men with low mental health literacy were most likely to not perceive a need for mental healthcare, also when adjusting for age, education, and poor mental health (OR 5.3, 95% CI 3.6-7.7), and to refrain from seeking mental healthcare, also when adjusting for age and education (OR 3.3, 95% CI 1.7-6.4), followed by men with high mental health literacy (OR 1.9, 95% CI 1.5-2.4, and OR 1.5, 95% CI 1.0-2.2) and women with low mental health literacy (OR 1.9, 95% CI 1.2-2.9, and OR 2.1, 95% CI 1.1-3.9). Women with high mental health literacy were least likely (reference group).

CONCLUSION

The results show differences in the likelihood of unmet need for mental healthcare based on combinations of gender and mental health literacy level, with men having low mental health literacy being most at risk, and women with high mental health literacy being least at risk. This challenges generalisations of a gender difference in unmet need by showing heterogeneity among men and women based on mental health literacy. Men with low mental health literacy may be particularly in need of targeted interventions to reduce potential individual and societal consequences of their unmet need.

Attitudes and intentions toward seeking professional psychological help among Chinese healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic

Background

It has been suggested that healthcare workers (HCWs) are experiencing massive stressors that threaten their mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic, but little is known about their attitudes and intentions toward seeking professional psychological help. This study aimed to investigate the attitudes and intentions of Chinese HCWs toward seeking professional psychological help during the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated factors.

Methods

A total of 1,224 Chinese HCWs working in hospitals were recruited online from 12 hospitals in Hunan province in China for a survey conducted in November 2022. The Chinese version of the attitudes toward seeking professional psychological help scale-short form (ATSPPH-SF) and the general help-seeking questionnaire (GHSQ) were separately used to assess the attitudes and intentions of the respondents toward seeking professional psychological help. Demographic and socio-psychological data were collected using a self-developed questionnaire, the perceived social support scale, the self-stigma of seeking help scale, and the patient health questionnaire-9 scale.

Results

The 1,208 HCWs in the final analysis showed relatively negative attitudes and low intentions toward seeking professional psychological help during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results of the multiple linear regression analysis showed that female sex (p = 0.031), experience of psychological learning (p < 0.001), and social support (p < 0.001) had a positive predictive effect on the attitudes of these HCWs toward seeking professional psychological help, whereas self-stigma of seeking help (p < 0.001) and depressive symptoms (p < 0.001) exerted negative effects. Moreover, experience of psychological learning (p = 0.004) and social support (p < 0.001) had a positive predictive effect on the intentions of these HCWs toward seeking professional psychological help, whereas divorced marital status (p = 0.011) and self-stigma of seeking help (p < 0.001) exerted negative effects.

Conclusion

The overall attitudes and intentions of HCWs toward seeking professional psychological help were not optimistic. Effective interventions targeted at influencing factors should be formulated to promote the professional psychological help-seeking attitudes and intentions of HCWs who are at risk of developing mental health problems.

An exploratory study on the 10-year dynamic changes of mental health policy development and media stigma reporting in China (2011-2020)

BACKGROUND

China has introduced a large number of national mental health policies over the past decade. However, few studies have touched on what changes the policies brought to the media.

AIMS

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between stigma reports, classifications of mental disorders (SMI: severe mental illness vs. CMD: common mental disorders) and sources of information (mental health professionals vs. non-mental health professionals) from 2011 to 2020 in China Daily, an established official media of China.

METHOD

This study consists of policy review and media review. The policy review reviewed the media management content in Chinese national plans, policies, and laws on mental health from 2011 to 2020. China Daily news articles reporting mental illness-related topics were included in this study as the media material. After a two-step review, the eligible news articles were coded with a structured codebook. The proportion and frequency of stigma depiction of mental disorders, classifications of mental disorders and source of information were counted by year. Chi-test was undertaken to determine the relationship between stigma reports and different classifications of mental disorders and sources of information. An exploratory analysis was conducted to explore the changes in depiction around time points of policy publications.

RESULTS

The number of anti-stigmatizing articles increased significantly from 2011 to 2020. There is a statistical difference in the proportion of stigmatizing codes between articles featuring SMI and CMD (χ2 = 44.56, p < .001) and different sources of information (χ2 = 78.49, p < .001). And the statistical difference remained over the decade.

CONCLUSION

The results of the research indicate that the media may have alleviated the problem of stigma. But the subtle stigmatization still exists, which needs joint efforts of the government and media.

Mental health literacy of Chinese nurses from public general and psychiatric hospitals: a cross-sectional study

Background

Mental health literacy (MHL) is crucial to address issues related to mental illness. Nurses' MHL is even more important because they are expected to deal with both the physical and psychological consequences of mental disorders.

Objective

This study investigated the level, discrepancy, and characteristics of MHL among Chinese nurses from both public general and psychiatric hospitals; identified influential factors; and explored the relationship between MHL and mental health status.

Methods

Using a stratified cluster sampling method to select participants, a cross-sectional survey was conducted to describe the MHL of 777 nurses from 13 general and 12 psychiatric hospitals using the Chinese version of the Mental Health Literacy Scale, Patient Health Questionnaire-2, Generalized Anxiety Disorder-2, and a demographic questionnaire. A multiple regression analysis was used to determine the factors influencing MHL among the nurses recruited.

Results

The participants' total score on the Chinese version of the Mental Health Literacy Scale was 93.25 (SD = 10.52). Multiple regression analysis revealed that nurses who worked in psychiatric or higher-level hospitals, with higher professional titles or higher education had higher levels of overall MHL and core MHL, while those working in general hospitals, with shorter work duration, or who were unmarried had higher social acceptance of patients. Nurses' MHL was closely correlated with their mental health status.

Conclusion

The overall and core MHL of Chinese nurses were at a moderate level, with social acceptance remaining at a relatively low level. There is an urgent need for MHL promotion programs to improve the MHL of clinical nurses. The focus must be given to overall MHL, especially core MHL, for non-psychiatric nurses to enhance their competence in mental health promotion and identification; more emphasis should be placed on the social acceptance of patients with mental illnesses for psychiatric nurses to improve their provision of professional services. Better MHL would be a formula for improving nurses' own mental health and their mental health service competence.

Suicide in China: Community Attitudes and Stigma

China accounts for an estimated third of the world's suicides, yet individuals experiencing suicidality typically do not seek out or receive treatment. This study examines community perceptions and public stigma toward suicide. In Shanghai, China 186 adults were recruited to participate in a survey with an experimental vignette describing a suicidal individual, manipulated on gender and age, followed by questions eliciting attitudes toward suicide. Most participants agreed that the suicidal subject had a serious problem, with seriousness of the problem decreasing with participant's age. Participants reported moderate levels of public stigma. More stigma was found toward adolescent subjects rather than adult. Male subjects were perceived as being more likely to change than females. The public's accurate view of suicide without biases could help prevent suicide from getting worse. Public perceptions regarding a suicidal individual's likelihood to change could lead to stigma reduction, which can subsequently help with effective crisis intervention.

Predictors of Professional Help-Seeking Intention Toward Depression Among Community-Dwelling Populations: A Structural Equation Modeling Analysis

Background

A low intention of professional help seeking hinders the effective treatment of depression. The factors are from the perspectives of the social, family, and individual; however, an understanding of how they interact to predict professional help-seeking intention (PHSI) is not clear.

Objectives

The objectives of the study was to investigate PHSI toward depression in a Chinese community-dwelling population and construct a predictive model of the PHSI to explore the various factors involved.

Methods

Stratified random sampling and Kish table methods were used to identify 2,000 community residents. Participants completed a series of questionnaires to measure general characteristics, PHSI, professional help-seeking attitude, depression stigma, depression knowledge, family function, and depression symptoms. Analyses included descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation analysis using SPSS 26.0 and a Structural Equation Model using Amos 22.0.

Results

The score of the PHSI was 14.92 ± 9.574. Professional help-seeking attitude (r = 0.291, p < 0.001) and depression knowledge (r = 0.077, p = 0.002) were positively related to PHSI, while a negative correlation was found between stigma (r = -0.149, p < 0.001) and PHSI. The model of the PHSI indicated a good fit with a CMIN/DF = 2.740 and RESEA = 0.032. The total effect of the influencing factors on the PHSI was listed in the following order: professional help-seeking attitude (0.676) > stigma (-0.143) > depression knowledge (0.088) > depression symptoms (-0.009) > family function (0.005). The total effect of depression knowledge on PHSI included a direct negative effect (Beta = -0.266, p < 0.001) and an indirect positive effect (0.354) through professional help-seeking attitude and stigma. Also, depression knowledge was negatively associated with stigma (Beta = -0.153, p < 0.001). Depression symptoms were negatively associated with family function (Beta = -0.282, p < 0.001), depression knowledge (Beta = -0.252, p < 0.001), and stigma (Beta = -0.102, p < 0.001), indicating that people with less severe depression symptoms had good family function, depression knowledge, and higher stigma. Family function contributed a positive effect on depression knowledge directly (Beta = 0.145, p < 0.001) and a totally positive effect (0.033) on stigma.

Conclusion

The PHSI toward depression is low among Chinese community residents. Professional help-seeking attitude, depression knowledge, and family functioning were facilitators of PHSI, and stigma and the severity of depression symptoms were barriers to PHSI. This study provides reference for the development of policies and guidelines to promote community residents to actively seek professional mental health help. Future policies can focus on multicollaboration among the government, mental health services, and families to increase the mental health resources, improve family functioning, enhance mental health literacy (MHL) of the public, and reduce depression stigma to ease the burden of this mental health issue.

Mental Health Promotion and Stigma Reduction Among University Students Using the Reach, Efficacy, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance (RE-AIM) Framework: Protocol for a Mixed Methods Study

Background

Rapid urbanization, academic pressures, and developmental life transition stressors contribute to mental health stress for postsecondary students in China. Effective prevention, early identification, and timely intervention are challenged by stigma, a lack of mental health literacy, and inadequate mental health resources.

Objective

Our implementation science (IS) research project is aimed at evaluating the use of an evidence-informed mental health promotion intervention named Acceptance and Commitment to Empowerment – Linking Youth and ‘Xin’ (hearts) (ACE-LYNX) to promote university student mental health in Jinan, China.

Methods

We will engage and collaborate with Shandong Mental Health Center, the provincial mental health center, and six local universities in different regions of Jinan. The ACE-LYNX intervention aims to reduce social stigma against mental illness, enhance mental health literacy, and improve access to quality mental health care by increasing interdisciplinary collaboration and forming a mental health network. It is based on two evidence-based approaches, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Group Empowerment Psychoeducation (GEP), and it will be delivered through online learning and in-person group training. The project will train 90 interdisciplinary professionals using the model. They will in turn train 15 professionals and 20 students at each university. The project will adopt the Reach, Efficacy, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance (RE-AIM) framework, which provides a structure to examine the process and outcomes of implementation using mixed methods comprising quantitative and qualitative approaches along five dimensions: reach, efficacy, adoption, implementation, and maintenance.

Results

Over the course of the project, 720 champions will be directly trained. They will contribute to developing a formal and informal mental health network, strengthened by student-led mental health initiatives and professional-led initiatives to promote collaborative care and facilitated care pathways. We anticipate that our project will reach out to 11,000 to 18,000 students.

Conclusions

This IS protocol will outline our unique intervention model and key steps to contextualize, implement, and evaluate community-based mental health intervention.

International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)

PRR1-10.2196/25592

The Recognition of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Autism Spectrum Disorder and Conduct Disorder in Adolescents and Adults—Assessing Differences in Mental Health Literacy

This was a Mental Health Literacy (MHL) study looking at three disorders, part of a systematic research programme on MHL using vignette methodology to examine lay people’s knowledge and recognition. The study compared the recognition of the disorders in children and adults. In all 485 participants, aged 18–69 years, read three vignettes describing a person with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and Conduct Disorder (CD). Vignette characters were described as either a child (aged 8yrs) or adult (aged 28 yrs). Participants attempted to label the disorder and then rated perceived seriousness and likelihood of disorder. Results from a 2 (sex) × 3 (disorder) way analysis of variance showed that CD was significantly perceived as the most serious disorder. ADHD was significantly considered more likely to be a disorder in adults yet recognised more in children. Younger participants correctly recognised ADHD, yet gave lower seriousness ratings. ASD was considered more serious in children. Women and highly educated individuals perceived ASD more seriously and recognised it more. Parents incorrectly identified CD but considered all disorders more seriously than non-parents. Clinical behaviours are more likely to be perceived as a disorder if they occur in adults, rather than children.

Factors Associated With Preference of Psychological Intervention and Mental Status Among Chinese Teachers During Coronavirus Disease 2019: A Large Cross-Sectional Survey

Aims: The authors sought to explore the psychological distress of teachers during COVID-19 pandemic and their preference for psychological intervention. The overarching goal was to gain insight on how to build an effective psychological support system for teachers during and after the pandemic. Methods: The mental health condition of teachers (N = 18,521) was assessed online by using a questionnaire consisting of standard instruments PHQ-15, GAD-7, PHQ-2, PC-PTSD, and additional questions about sleep disturbance, suicidality and preference of psychological intervention methods. Results: 35.5% of Chinese teachers reported sleep disturbance, 25.3% complained somatic discomfort, 17.7% had anxiety symptoms, 4.0% had depression, 2.8% had self-injury or suicidal thoughts. Women are more likely to have somatic symptoms, sleep disturbance and depression. There were age differences for anxiety, somatic symptoms and suicidal thoughts. High percentages of university teachers reported moderate to severe anxiety, somatic symptoms, depression and sleep disturbance. The most preferred psychological intervention is the self-practice of stress management skills (N = 11,477, 62.0%). Teachers with moderate and severe symptoms are more likely in need of hotline and online counseling and those with serious suicidal thoughts are three times more likely to use a telephone hotline. Conclusions: During the COVID-19 outbreak, the major reported psychological distresses among Chinese teachers are anxiety, sleep disturbance and somatic symptoms. There were gender, age and school setting differences. Females, teachers over 45 years old and those who work at universities tend to be more vulnerable. Different teachers chose different interventions, mostly based on the severity of their symptoms.

Lower Health Literacy of Mania Than Depression Among Older People: A Random Survey of a Community Healthcare Service Center

Purpose: This study examines health literacy among older outpatients in two Community Healthcare Service Centers in Shanghai, China to facilitate the design of public education programs for the aged population on mood disorders (both depression and mania). Patients and Methods: A total of 173 outpatients aged 60 years or more with a chronic physical illness were randomly sampled. A health literacy questionnaire was used to assess participants' awareness of depression and mania. Participants were then asked to label two vignettes depicting depression and mania and to give their recommendations for how to seek help for those in the vignettes and how mood disorders should be managed. Results: In all, 86.1 and 36.4% of participants had heard of depression and mania, respectively, with the most common source of information being relatives and friends. Over half of the participants attributed the possible causes of mood disorders to psychological trauma, pressure or stress in daily life, taking things too hard, and personality problems. Almost two-thirds of participants correctly labeled the depression vignette, but only 26.6% correctly labeled the mania vignette. The most common methods recommended by the participants as being helpful for the individuals portrayed in the vignettes were "traveling" and help-seeking from a psychological therapist/counselor, a psychiatrist, or a close family member or friend. Conclusion: The older individuals attending community healthcare service settings in Shanghai have good depression literacy but relatively poor mania literacy. However, most participants had a positive attitude toward psychiatric treatment for mood disorders.

Trends in Psychotropic Medication Prescriptions in Urban China From 2013 to 2017: National Population-Based Study

Purpose: Psychotropic medications are commonly used for treating mental disorders; however, there is currently no study on how commonly they are used in China. This study reported the trends in psychotropic medications prescriptions in urban China. Methods: A national population-based study was conducted using the China Health Insurance Research Association database to estimate the period prescription prevalence of 11 major classes of psychotropic medications annually during 2013-2017. The World Health Organization Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) classification codes were used to identify psychotropic medications. Results: The prescription prevalence of any psychotropic medication increased from 8.110% (8.106-8.114%) in 2013 to 11.362% (11.357-11.366%) in 2017. The prescription prevalence of six classes increased significantly during 2013-2017, including sedatives-hypnotics (from 3.177 to 5.388%), anxiolytics (from 1.436 to 2.200%), antiepileptic drugs (from 1.416 to 2.140%), antipsychotics (from 0.809 to 1.156%), antidepressants (from 0.891 to 1.045%), and psycholeptic polypills (from 0.682 to 0.866%). The prescription prevalence of antidementia drugs increased from 0.069 to 0.122%, and mood stabilizers increased from 0.029 to 0.037%, although not statistically significant. The prescription prevalence of nootropic drugs, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medications and drugs used in the treatment of addictive disorders was largely stable. Psychotropic medication prescription increased with age for all classes except for ADHD medications and mood stabilizers. Conclusion: Increasing trends in prescription prevalence were observed for most classes of psychotropic medications in urban China, although the prevalence was still lower than that in most developed countries. Further research is warranted to explore the potential treatment gap between China and most developed countries.

Mental health literacy about depression among rural left-behind children in China: a comparative and cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Mental health literacy (MHL) is vital for raising mental health awareness, reducing stigma, and improving health-related decision making, which may have lifelong consequences for patients with mental disorders.

AIMS

To examine MHL about depression among rural left-behind children (LBC) in China and explore differences between LBC and non-left-behind children (NLBC).

METHODS

A total of 3456 rural school children (mean age = 13.02 years) in fourth to ninth grades who were living in Sichuan, Anhui, and Henan provinces were surveyed in April and July 2018 using stratified random cluster sampling.

RESULTS

More NLBC correctly recognized depression compared with LBC (p < 0.05). The most common sources of mental health information were the TV and the Internet. LBC felt more uneasy if they asked for help (p < 0.01). Statistical differences in help-seeking barriers were observed between LBC and NLBC (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Respondents showed low levels of depression-related MHL compared with peer groups in other countries, LBC showed lower MHL than NLBC in terms of the correct recognition rate of depression, attitude toward seeking help, etc. More school-based interventions should be implemented in rural schools, and parent involvement and digital-based educational strategies should be considered.

A Comparison of the Psycholinguistic Styles of Schizophrenia-Related Stigma and Depression-Related Stigma on Social Media: Content Analysis

BACKGROUND

Stigma related to schizophrenia is considered to be the primary focus of antistigma campaigns. Accurate and efficient detection of stigma toward schizophrenia in mass media is essential for the development of targeted antistigma interventions at the population level.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to examine the psycholinguistic characteristics of schizophrenia-related stigma on social media (ie, Sina Weibo, a Chinese microblogging website), and then to explore whether schizophrenia-related stigma can be distinguished from stigma toward other mental illnesses (ie, depression-related stigma) in terms of psycholinguistic style.

METHODS

A total of 19,224 schizophrenia- and 15,879 depression-related Weibo posts were collected and analyzed. First, a human-based content analysis was performed on collected posts to determine whether they reflected stigma or not. Second, by using Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count software (Simplified Chinese version), a number of psycholinguistic features were automatically extracted from each post. Third, based on selected key features, four groups of classification models were established for different purposes: (a) differentiating schizophrenia-related stigma from nonstigma, (b) differentiating a certain subcategory of schizophrenia-related stigma from other subcategories, (c) differentiating schizophrenia-related stigma from depression-related stigma, and (d) differentiating a certain subcategory of schizophrenia-related stigma from the corresponding subcategory of depression-related stigma.

RESULTS

In total, 26.22% of schizophrenia-related posts were labeled as stigmatizing posts. The proportion of posts indicating depression-related stigma was significantly lower than that indicating schizophrenia-related stigma (χ²₁=2484.64, P<.001). The classification performance of the models in the four groups ranged from .71 to .92 (F measure).

CONCLUSIONS

The findings of this study have implications for the detection and reduction of stigma toward schizophrenia on social media.

Care-seeking behavior and disclosure on self-reported mental health among young women in urban Shanghai, China

Mental health is a major public health concern in China. Help-seeking behavior typically does not involve professionals. Aim of the study was to assess Shanghai women’s care-seeking behavior for common mental health disorders. Using an online survey, fielding questions regarding perinatal mental health status and help-seeking behavior. A total of 487 women participated. One fifth of participants reporting badwell-being did not seek help for mental distress. A total of 82.2 percent seek online support. A majority entrusted in family and avoided professional contact. Mother-in-laws were the least trusted source of support. Shanghai women avoid seeking professional help for mental health issues. Friends, spouses, and online resources are preferred venues.

Recognition and beliefs about treatment for mental disorders in mainland China: a systematic review and meta-analysis

PURPOSE

This review aimed to systematically investigate the Chinese public's ability to recognize specific mental disorders and their knowledge and beliefs about available treatments.

METHODS

Eight electronic databases were searched to identify quantitative studies examining recognition of depression, anxiety and/or schizophrenia, knowledge and beliefs about treatments, and/or correlates of each of the three constructs among the general population in China. Prevalence estimates were calculated for themes under each construct. Effect size r was computed for each relationship between an independent variable and one of the three constructs.

RESULTS

A total of 65 studies (N = 174,253) were included in this review. Depression (25.4%), anxiety (18.2%) and schizophrenia (18.4%) had low recognition rates. More than 80% of people agreed that one should seek professional help for mental illnesses, but fewer than 40% were likely to use professional services for their own mental health issues. Regarding psychiatric medications, 57% of the respondents agreed that medications should be taken regularly, but more than 60% believed that they would be harmful. Gender, income, residential area, occupation, education and marital status were significantly associated with level of mental health knowledge.

CONCLUSIONS

The public's level of mental health literacy related to recognition of specific mental disorders, and knowledge and beliefs about treatments is still relatively low. The government should consider public education campaigns to improve this.

Attitude Toward Seeking Professional Psychological Help Among Community-Dwelling Population in China

OBJECTIVE

To explore the attitudes and factors in seeking professional psychological help among a Chinese community-dwelling population in order to promote positive help-seeking behaviors and better utilization of mental health services.

METHODS

Using system and simple random sampling with Kish selection table methods, 912 community-dwelling residents were included in this study and asked about their attitudes toward seeking professional psychological help, depression symptoms, family function, depression literacy, help-seeking intention, and stigma.

RESULTS

Scores on the Attitudes Toward Seeking Professional Psychological Help scale (ATSPPH-SF) indicated a neutral attitude toward openness to seeking treatment for psychological problems and a negative attitude toward the value and need to seek treatment with a negative total score. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that gender, age, social support (employment status and family function), depression literacy, stigma, and help-seeking intention are significantly associated with attitude toward seeking professional psychological help.

CONCLUSION

The overall attitude toward seeking professional psychological help is not optimistic, thus, more efforts are needed to enhance understanding. Effective interventions including mental health education, training of mental health professionals, and popularizing the use of mental health services are essential, especially for the at-risk population.

Mental Health Literacy Among Chinese Rural Residents: A Survey From Hubei Province in Central China on People's Perception of Mental Illnesses

A survey was carried among 412 participants to examine mental health literacy in rural China. Two vignettes depicting schizophrenia and depression were presented, and participants were asked to reflect on their recognition and the beliefs about the causes, consequences, and the treatments of the conditions described. Results show that the recognition rates for schizophrenia and depression were 76.9% and 67.7%, respectively. Participants believed work stress, life stress, and encountered frustration were the most important reasons for mental illnesses. Participants believed that mental illnesses could cause many severe consequences to patients, such as emotional pain, bringing pain to the family, deterioration of interpersonal relationships, and destroying the individual's life. The participants were more likely to recommend nonmedical treatment for the patients in the two vignettes. Participants having a higher educational level were more likely to be aware of the consequences of the mental illnesses, and they also had a more positive attitude toward seeking professional help.

Public beliefs and attitudes toward schizophrenia and depression in Taiwan: A nationwide survey

Beliefs about and attitudes toward mental illness may be influenced by cultural- or country-specific contexts. Through a national survey, the current study investigated beliefs and attitudes toward people with schizophrenia and depression among the general public in Taiwan. A random-digit-dialing telephone-based cross-sectional survey was administered to Taiwanese adults aged 20-64 years (n = 1600). The data were analyzed through binary logistic regressions to test for differences between these disorders in causal beliefs, stereotypes, emotional reactions, desire for social distance, and help-seeking behavior. The results revealed that respondents were more concerned with biogenetic causal explanations for people with schizophrenia than for those with depression. Significantly more respondents perceived people with schizophrenia as more likely to be unpredictable and violent toward others. A similar trend was observed for the desire for social distance. For both disorders, respondents were significantly more likely to express compassion than to express anger toward the person described in the vignette. Respondents also expressed more desire for social distance from someone like the vignette who have received psychiatric treatment. These findings provide useful directions for the implementation of optimal psychoeducation among such communities. .

Understanding the public's profile of mental health literacy in China: a nationwide study

BACKGROUND

In the wake of China's massive economic development, attention has only recently turned to the enormous treatment gap that exists for mental health problems. Our study is the first comprehensive, national examination of the levels and correlates of the public's ability to recognize mental illness in the community and suggest sources of help, setting a baseline to assess contemporary Chinese efforts.

METHODS

Data were collected in China as part of the Stigma in Global Context - Mental Health Study (SGC-MHS) through face-to-face interviews using vignettes meeting clinical criteria for schizophrenia and major depression. Our analysis targets the Han Chinese participants (n = 1812). Differences in the recognition of mental health problems were assessed using a chi-square test and further stratified by vignette illness type and urban vs. rural residence. Adjusted regression models estimated the effects of each predictor towards the endorsement three types of help-seeking: medical doctor, psychiatrist, and mental health professional.

RESULTS

As expected, recognition of mental health problems is low; it is better for depression and most accurate in urban areas. Perceived severity increases endorsement of the need for care and for treatment by all provider types. Recognition of a mental health problem specifically decreases endorsement of medical doctors while increasing recommendations for psychiatrists and mental health professionals. Neurobiological attributions decrease recommendations for mental health professionals as opposed to general or specialty physicians.

CONCLUSIONS

Continued efforts are needed in China to promote mental illness recognition within rural areas, and of schizophrenia specifically. Promoting recognition of mental illness, while balancing the special challenges among individuals who understand the neurobiological roots of mental illness, may constitute a key strategy to reduce the sizeable mental health treatment gap in China.

Some People May Need it, But Not Me, Not Now: Seeking Professional Help for Mental Health Problems in Urban China

In recent years, various levels of the Chinese government have undertaken the task of developing new models of community-based mental health services. Greater availability and higher quality will not result in substantial improvements if those suffering from mental illnesses do not use the services. This article examines not only people's cultural perception of mental health and help-seeking but also their practical concerns and preferences about mental health service provision in urban China. The study analyzes qualitative data from in-depth interviews with 50 respondents who belong to the most psychologically distressed subgroup (with the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10) score ≥ 25) identified in a household survey in Beijing. While stigma about mental illness and help-seeking is real and well described, most interviewees are also not aware of the availability of professional mental health services. They believe that professional services target the upper-middle and upper classes, and are outside the sphere of their daily life and socio-economic status. The interviewees do not welcome the prospect of a mental health clinic or treatment center in their neighborhood due to concerns about stigma and confidentiality; instead, they support the creation of mental health referral services and promotion programs within the community or on the Internet. The findings suggest that the development of community-based mental health services in mainland China should take into account not only the cultural constraints that make people reluctant to seek professional help but also the structural inadequacies that deter potential user groups from accessing such services.

Depression literacy and health-seeking attitudes in the Western Pacific region: a mixed-methods study

PURPOSE

Depression literacy refers to the ability to recognize depression and make informed decisions about its treatment. To date, relatively little research has been done to examine depression literacy in the Western Pacific region. Given the pervasiveness of depression and the need to enhance mental health care in this region, it is important to gain a better understanding of depression literacy and health-seeking behaviors in this part of the world.

METHODS

This mixed-methods study utilized a convergent parallel design to examine depression literacy and the associated health-seeking attitudes among urban adults from three countries-Cambodia, Philippines, and Fiji. A total of 455 adults completed a quantitative survey on depression knowledge, attitudes, and professional help seeking. Separately, 56 interviewees from 6 focus groups provided qualitative data on their impression and knowledge of depression and mental illness within the context of their local communities.

RESULTS

Overall, results showed that depression knowledge was comparatively lower in this region. Controlling for differences across countries, higher knowledge was significantly associated with more positive attitudes towards mental illness (B = - 0.28, p = 0.025) and professional help seeking (B = 0.20, p < 0.001). Financial stability, such as employment, was also a salient factor for help seeking.

CONCLUSIONS

This study was the first to provide a baseline understanding on depression literacy and highlights the need to increase public knowledge on depression in the Western Pacific. Culturally congruent recommendations on enhancing depression literacy in this region, such as anti-stigma campaigns, use of financial incentives, and family-based approach in health education, are discussed.

A systematic analysis of online broadcasts of suicidality in China

INTRODUCTION

This study attempts to analyze the epidemiological characteristics of online broadcasts of suicidality in China.

METHODS

A total of 193 incidents were identified by systematically searching for relevant news reports on the internet. A content analysis on these news reports was conducted to obtain information on the characteristics of each individual incident.

RESULTS

Of these incidents, the ratio of males to females was 1:1.7 (age: 24.6 ± 6.1 years old). Approximately 45.4% and 70.8% of incidents were located in the region of Eastern China and Southern China, respectively, and 15.7% of incidents were unemployed. The most common suicide method was wrist cutting (57.5%), and the most common suicide location was at home (35.2%). Instant messaging apps (52.8%) were most frequently used for broadcasting suicidal thoughts and actions. Relationship breakup (61.1%) was reported as the leading cause of suicide. Furthermore, of the 193 incidents, 19 indicated that they suffered from a mental disorder, and 12 revealed that they had a history of suicide attempts. There were significant gender, age, regional, and occupational differences across the categories.

DISCUSSION

This study indicates that in China, suicide prevention programmes need to target internet users.

Detecting depression stigma on social media: A linguistic analysis

BACKGROUND

Efficient detection of depression stigma in mass media is important for designing effective stigma reduction strategies. Using linguistic analysis methods, this paper aims to build computational models for detecting stigma expressions in Chinese social media posts (Sina Weibo).

METHODS

A total of 15,879 Weibo posts with keywords were collected and analyzed. First, a content analysis was conducted on all 15,879 posts to determine whether each of them reflected depression stigma or not. Second, using four algorithms (Simple Logistic Regression, Multilayer Perceptron Neural Networks, Support Vector Machine, and Random Forest), two groups of classification models were built based on selected linguistic features; one for differentiating between posts with and without depression stigma, and one for differentiating among posts with three specific types of depression stigma.

RESULTS

First, 967 of 15,879 posts (6.09%) indicated depression stigma. 39.30%, 15.82%, and 14.99% of them endorsed the stigmatizing view that "People with depression are unpredictable", "Depression is a sign of personal weakness", and "Depression is not a real medical illness", respectively. Second, the highest F-Measure value for differentiating between stigma and non-stigma reached 75.2%. The highest F-Measure value for differentiating among three specific types of stigma reached 86.2%.

LIMITATIONS

Due to the limited and imbalanced dataset of Chinese Weibo posts, the findings of this study might have limited generalizability.

CONCLUSIONS

This paper confirms that incorporating linguistic analysis methods into online detection of stigma can be beneficial to improve the performance of stigma reduction programs.

An analysis of stigma and suicide literacy in responses to suicides broadcast on social media

INTRODUCTION

Broadcasting a suicide attempt on social media has become a public concern in China. Stigmatizing attitudes around such broadcast can limit help-seeking and increase the likelihood of death. To reduce stigmatizing attitudes, this paper aims to detect stigma expressions in social media posts through language use patterns and then identify suicide literacy in responses to such broadcast.

METHODS

Firstly, to examine linguistic patterns of stigma expressions, 6632 Weibo posts with keywords were collected and analyzed. Using 102 linguistic features, 2 classification models were built: one for differentiating between stigmatizing and nonstigmatizing attitudes, and one for differentiating between specific types of stigmatizing attitudes. Secondly, to identify the levels of suicide literacy, a content analysis was conducted on 4969 Weibo posts related to social media suicide.

RESULTS

Firstly, the model accuracy ranged from 66.15% to 72.79%. Secondly, a total of 11.67% of the Weibo posts (n = 580) contained misinformation about suicide. In the category of knowledge of signs, 27.93% and 18.10% of posts endorsed the stigmatizing views that "suicide happens without warning" and "people who want to attempt suicide cannot change their mind quickly," both of which were related to a stigmatizing belief that a suicide attempt on social media is not genuine. In the category of knowledge of treatments, 35.17% of posts endorsed the stigmatizing view that "people who have thoughts about suicide should not tell others about it."

DISCUSSION

This paper presents an opportunity for the dissemination of targeted online campaigns to increase mental health literacy and help-seeking.

Mental health literacy in Hong Kong

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

The aim of this study was to investigate Hong Kong nationals' ability to recognize 13 different mental disorders and to examine whether there may be a relationship between their mental health literacy (MHL) and their tendency to describe/explain symptoms of mental disorders in physical terms.

METHODS

A total of 299 participants took part in this study and the vignettes depict post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), dependent personality disorder, schizotypal personality disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, agoraphobia, bipolar disorder, social phobia, panic disorder, narcissistic personality disorder, schizophrenia and antisocial personality disorder.

RESULTS

Overall, OCD was the best identified and the personality disorders were the worst. A significant negative correlation was found between participants' MHL and the rate of offering a 'physical' rather than a 'psychological' explanation. Some mental disorders were better recognized than others such as OCD (40.1%) and depression (36.3%). However, the majority of the other disorders were very poorly recognized and labelled with the rest having 'correct response' rates of lower than 15%. Over half of the mental disorders had 'correct' response rates of lower than 5%.

CONCLUSION

In accordance with many other studies in the area, this study found Asian participants poor at recognizing mental disorders. This is probably due to the fact that mental illnesses of all kinds remain a taboo topic.

Mental health literacy and borderline personality disorder (BPD): what do the public "make" of those with BPD?

INTRODUCTION

This study was part of a programmatic series into mental health literacy, specifically lay people's knowledge of causes, manifestations and cures of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). The aim was to determine to what extent non-experts understood BDP and to what extent they held erroneous beliefs about specific aspects of the causes and cures for the disorder

METHOD

A convenience sample of 102 participants completed a vignette-identification task that required them to answer open-ended questions about hypothetical people with four psychological problems, one of which was BPD and a 50-item questionnaire divided into three sections about BDP.

RESULTS

Analysis of the vignette identification task revealed very low rates of recognition for BPD, with participants significantly more likely to identify depression, schizophrenia or psychopathy. Participants' generally favoured psychological and sociological treatments, as well as rating early trauma and stress as possible causes of the symptoms of the person described in the BDP vignette. There were logical relationships between perceptions of cause and cure.

CONCLUSION

The results suggest that participants hold certain coherent beliefs (psychological, sociological, biological or theological) regarding aetiology and treatments of BPD. Further, the findings suggest the need for greater awareness and educational programmes to inform the general public accurately regarding BPD and to improve mental health literacy.