Mental Health Literacy and Associated Factors among Secondary School Students in Bhaktapur, Nepal

Authors

  • Sarita Duwal Department of Public Health, Nepalese Army Institute of Health Sciences, Shree Birendra Hospital, Kathmandu, Nepal
  • Rajan Paudel Central Department of Public Health, Institute of Medicine, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9894-5656
  • Mohan Paudel NSW Agency for Clinical Innovation, Australia
  • Manisha Dhaubanjar Iwamura College of Health Sciences, Bhaktapur, Nepal https://orcid.org/0009-0000-1665-260X
  • Jyoti Nepal Research Project Coordinator, Department of Research and Development, Kathmandu University Hospital, Dhulikhel, Nepal
  • Dilaram Acharya Department of Medicine, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, AB, Canada https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2270-7667
  • Saraswati Dhungana Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Institute of Medicine, Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, Kathmandu, Nepal https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9727-4723

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.70280/njph(2024)v1i1.9

Keywords:

Mental health literacy, Health literacy, school students

Abstract

Introduction: Mental health problems like depression and anxiety are the leading contributors to the global burden of disease.  Mental health problems are common in adults and children in Nepal, accounting for 13.2% and 11.2% of the population while only 21% sought treatment. Evaluation  of  mental  health  literacy  is  important  in  assisting  the  development  of  intervention  and policies toward preventing mental health problems. This study aimed to assess the mental health literacy among the secondary school students of Bhaktapur municipality and identify the factors associated with it.

Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in December 2019 among 468 students of grade11 and 12. We selected the study sample using two-stage cluster sampling technique. A self-administered questionnaire was used for the data collection using a modified mental health literacy scale. Collected data were entered in EpiData 3.1 and SPSS 17.0.  Descriptive analysis was done to find out the level of MHL. Variables that were found statistically significant (p<0.05) in the univariate analysis were further analysed using multiple linear regression method. Ethical approval was taken from the Institutional Review Committee of the Institute of Medicine, Nepal.

Results: The participants exhibited moderate level of mental health literacy score of 110.9 8 (SD=±11.11).This study shows that age below 18 years (β= 2.13, 95% CI= 0.093to4.164), science faculty (β= 6. 41, 95% CI= 3.71to8.57), internet source for health information (β=2.31, 95% CI= 0.21to4.41), part-time job (β= -6.78, 95% CI= -9.30to -4.25) and mental distress (β= -3.37, 95% CI= -5.27to -1.47) were significantly associated with MHL in the students.

Conclusions: Awareness of existing MHL levels in the secondary school students is crucial for the evaluation of targeted educational interventions and for the further development and implementation of these interventions in the future. This study also emphasizes the need for school mental health program and to include mental health literacy in the school curriculum.

Keywords: Mental health literacy, Health literacy, School students

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Published

2024-08-26

How to Cite

Duwal, S., Paudel, R., Paudel, M., Dhaubanjar, M., Nepal, J., Acharya, D., & Dhungana, S. (2024). Mental Health Literacy and Associated Factors among Secondary School Students in Bhaktapur, Nepal. Nepal Journal of Public Health, 1(1), 15–24. https://doi.org/10.70280/njph(2024)v1i1.9

Issue

Vol. 1 No. 1 (2024): Nepal Journal of Public Health

Section

Original Research Articles

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Copyright (c) 2024 Sarita Duwal, Rajan Paudel, Mohan Paudel, Manisha Dhaubanjar, Jyoti Nepal, Dilaram Acharya, Saraswati Dhungana

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