DOI: https://doi.org/10.

53350/pjmhs202317385

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Mental Health Literacy among Students of Gujranwala Division of Punjab

YASIR SADIQ1, KANWAL KHALID2, ZAIN IMTIAZ2, KOMAL MUSHTAQ2, ZARWA MANAN1, AMTUL HAFEEZ3, TALHA LAIQUE4*
1
Department of Community Medicine, Islam Medical College, Sialkot-Pakistan
2
Department of Community Medicine, Watim Medical college, Islamabad-Pakistan
3
Department of Pharmacology, Islam Medical College, Sialkot-Pakistan
4
Department of Pharmacology, Allama Iqbal Medical College, Lahore-Pakistan
Correspondence to Dr. Talha Laique, Email: talhalaique51@gmail.com Tel:+92-331-0346682

ABSTRACT
Background: Treatment of either physical or mental illnesses is not as effective if the knowledge and awareness of the patient
is inadequate.
Study design: Descriptive study.
Methodology: A total number of 240 students through convenient sampling who responded to the questionnaire. The ethical
approval was obtained from review ethical committee, after completing and submitting the research proposal. The research
instrument for data collection was, “structured questionnaire” developed by using 2 scales, the mental health literacy scale
(MHLS) and modified scale. Data was analyzed by SPSS version 23. Chi-square test was applied for categorical variables to
find the differences in knowledge and practices by dental professionals with p-value ≤0.05 as significant.
Results: Almost 86.7% of students were able to identify major depressive disorder. 8.3% thought such disorders are
punishment by God, 38.3% of students considered mental illness as inherited trait. According to 47.5% treatment of mental
illness caused addiction, 37.1% were unsure and 15.4% disagreed.
Practical Implication: This study helped researchers in exploring role of multiple factors in changing mental health literacy and
how it can help in reducing those barriers and promoting mental health literacy in students. This also added to local literature
regarding mental health. Conclusion: It was concluded that mental illness needs recognition and awareness campaigns for
mental health literacy needs to be conducted.
Keywords: Mental Health, Knowledge, Awareness, Attitude and Individual Performance.

INTRODUCTION Received on 13-09-2022

Accepted on 19-02-2023
“Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing There is a complex relationship between mental health and
and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity” as revealed by individual performance and stability, which is probably not properly
literature review.1 According to this idea, there are three aspects of understood by many people due to lack of knowledge about
health however, mental health can’t be emphasized enough. benefits of mental health being. Hence, the current study was
A healthy individual realizes his or her own abilities, cope-up planned to determine the knowledge and practice regarding health
with normal stresses of life, work productively and is able to make literacy among students at a basic level.
a contribution towards his own community.2 Literature review Objective of the study was to assess the knowledge and
revealed that mental illness is a collection of all diagnosable attitude of students towards mentalillness.
mental disorders-health conditions that produce significant
changes in thinking, emotion andbehavior towards normal activities METHODOLOGY
of life. In other words any deviation from a state of normal mental
health is mental illness3. This descriptive study targeted 240 students through convenient
According to one estimate, almost 792 million people sampling who responded to the questionnaire. The ethical
globally have suffered mental health disorders with prevalence of approval was obtained review ethical committee, after completing
10.7%.4 This health issue mainly affects females more in and submitting the research proposal. The research instrument for
comparison to males as shown by Ratio of 9.3%:11.9%.5 One data collection was, “structured questionnaire” developed by using
study showed that one in every four people are effected by mental 2 scales, the mental health literacy scale (MHLS) and modified
illness at some point of their life while two-thirds never seek help scale9,10. Online consent was taken. All baseline information was
from professionals. This health issue is considered as stigma in taken in a specialized perfoma. Unwilling students and school
most societies. They also reported that the prevalence of disabling going children were excluded.
mental illness in children and adolescents was 20% globally6. One Statistical analysis: Data was analyzed by SPSS version 23. Chi-
previous study revealed that mental health burden was maximum square test was applied for categorical variables to find the
for depression followed by anxiety, schizophrenia and bipolar differences in knowledge and perception by students with p-value
disorders7. ≤0.05 as significant. Frequencies and percentages were calculated
Considering that treatment of either physical or mental for demographic data.
illnesses is not as effective if the knowledge and awareness of the
patient is inadequate so new concept of health literacy was RESULTS
employed many years ago. With advancement in medical
sciences, this concept of mental health knowledge evolved Enrolled students were categorized into three age groups while
significantly not only in developed but also in developing countries. maximum students were from 18-30 years as shown in table-1 and
According to one study, there are several components of figure-1. Other baseline parameters like gender and residence
mental health literacy that include: (a) The ability to recognize were also presented in table-1. Majority of the individuals were
specific disorders, (b) Knowledge and beliefs about risk factors and females while residing in urban areas. Educational institution,
causes, (c) Knowledge and beliefs about self-help interventions, online sources with 35.4% and 27.1% respectively were the major
(d) Knowledge and beliefs about professional help available, (e) sources of knowledge about this topic. A lot of people 25.8% didn’t
attitudes which facilitate recognition an appropriate help seeking, evenhear about the topic as shown by figure-2.
and (f) Knowledge of how to seek mental health information8. Knowledge and perception regarding health illnesses were
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- summarized into table -2 depending on various different questions.
Majority 45.4% students think that mental illness is due to

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Knowledge among students of Punjab regarding mental health.

personal weakness. On the other hand, 36.3% don’t attribute Different people have different opinion regarding “seeking
mental illness towards personalweakness as shown in table-2. help towards mental health professionals” as shown in figure-5.
Almost 60.4% of students don’t agree with the above statement,
Table-1: Baseline Parameters of enrolled population (n=240) 14.2% remained neutral while 25.4% agreed.
Age in Groups (Years) Frequency Percentage (%)
less than 18 11 4.6 Figure-2: Depicting source of Knowledge about mental health
18-30 227 94.6
above 30 2 0.8
Gender
Male 52 21.7
Female 188 78.3
Residence
urban 180 75.0
rural 60 25.0

Figure-1 showed distribution of individuals according to age

Figure-3: Perception as Dangerous regarding mental diseased patients

Table-2: Perception of enrolled students (n=240) regarding mental illnesses

Categories Frequency Percentage (%)
Q-1: Whom do you think is more likely to develop mental illness?
Men 15 6.3
Women 60 25.0
Others 3 1.3 Figure-4: Perception regarding Genetics among mentally ill patients
Q-2: Low mood for ≥02 weeks with Change in appetite and sleep:
Any depressive Disorder?
Very unlikely 32 13.3
very likely 208 86.7
Q-3: A mental illness is a sign of personal weakness?
Strongly disagree 87 36.3
Neutral 44 18.3
Agree 109 45.4
Q-4: Mental illness is due to possession by evil spirits?
Yes 19 7.9
No 150 62.5
Maybe 71 29.6
Q-5: Mental illness can be punishment fromGod?
Yes 19 7.9
No 151 62.9
Maybe 70 29.2
Q-6: Medications used to treat mental illness causeaddiction
Yes 114 47.5 Figure-5: Perception regarding seeking help from health professionals
No 37 15.4
Maybe 88 37.1

Almost 34.2% students remained neutral while 33% disagree with

the statement and 32.9% agree that mentally ill person is
dangerous. Different people have different opinion regarding
sufferers of mental diseases in terms of “dangerous” as shown in
figure-3.
Different people have different opinion regarding sufferers of
mental diseases in terms of “genetic inheritance” as shown in
figure-4. Almost 38.3% agreed that inheritance can be the cause,
38.3% were unsure and rest 23.3% disagreed. Genetics play an
important role in many aspects of healthy life.

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 Y. Sadiq, K. Khalid, Z. Imtiaz et al

specific mental illnesses as well as to improve knowledge and

promotion of mental health literacy. Large scale campaigns and
seminars are needed for this purpose.
Limitations: As the time frame was limited and convenience
sampling was used, making sample unrepresentative. Data should
be collected from students using random sampling so that findings
can be generalized. Environmental and some situation specific
facets were not considered and were not explored in this study.

CONCLUSION
It was concluded that there was significant difference in knowledge
and perception towards mental health literacy between students.
Thus mental illness needs recognition and awareness campaigns
for mental health literacy needs to be conducted.
DISCUSSION Authors’ Contribution: YS&KK: Conceptualized the study,
We carried out research on mental health literacy among the analyzed the data, and formulated the initial draft, ZI&KM:
students of university and college in Gujranwala division. Main goal Contributed to the histomorphological evaluation, ZM: Contributed
of this survey was to compare the knowledge about mental illness, to the analysis of data and proofread the draft, AH: Contributed to
beliefs and disbeliefs about mental illness and help seeking data collection, TL: Contributed to the proofreading the manuscript
attitude in students. For this purpose we used 2 scales, MHLS for intellectual content
(mental health literacy scale) and a modified scale to measure Conflict of interest: None
stigma related to mental illness9,10. We made an online Funding: None
Questionnaire with google documents and shared it online. Majorly
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