Dr Aparna Ray (India)

Mental health literacy in a rural community in India

MENTAL HEALTH

LITERACY IN

RURAL

COMMUNITY IN

INDIA

Presented by Dr. APARNA RAY

Senior Lecturer

College of Nursing

Medical College and Hospital

Kolkata, West Bengal, India

Introduction

Mental health is a major concern worldwide

and India is not far behind in sharing this.

In 1954, Dr. Brock Chisholm, the first Director-

General of World Health Organization (WHO)

declared that “without mental health there

can be no true physical health”.

According to the report of the National Mental

Health Survey of India 2015-16, the prevalence

for any mental morbidity was 13.7% in lifetime .

Introduction

Treatment gap for mental disorders

ranged between 70% to 92% for different

mental disorders.

According to WHO, treatments are

available but two-third of mentally ill

people never seek help from a health

professional.

Mental Health Literacy (MHL) is the basis

for mental health promotion, prevention

and best available care.

Definition of Mental Health Literacy

In 1997 Australian researchers Jorm et al, first

introduced definition of MHL which has

become a gold standard within research and

practice on MHL.

Originally MHL was conceptualized as

“knowledge and beliefs about mental

disorders which aid their recognition,

management or prevention”.

Components of Mental Health

Literacy

Conceptual Framework:

If people experience disabling psychologicalsymptoms, they will attempt to manage thosesymptoms.

Peoples symptom management activities will beinfluenced by their MHL which may lead toreduce disabling symptoms.

So to empower the public with adequateknowledge and skill about mental health is theway to reduce symptoms.

Objectives of the study:

The study was designed

To explore mental health literacy of

community people

To conduct mental health awarenessproject.

Materials and Methods:

A cross-sectional study was conducted on the

month of February 2019 among different age

group people at Ghoshpara village of Howrah

district (near to city of Kolkata).

5 students of M.Sc. in Psychiatric Nursing of

College of Nursing, Medical College, Kolkata,

collected data by door to door visit.

Materials and Methods:

The Principal investigator contacted and

briefed the Head of the village council and

Medical officer of Ghoshpara PHC about the

nature and purpose of the study. Consent was

also taken from each sample.

For this study pretested, validated 21 - items

self administered structured Mental Health

literacy questionnaire(MCQ) was developed in

local language. Reliability ‘r’ value is 0.87

which is calculated by using Spearman Brown

Prophecy Formula.

Table 1. Socio-demographic characteristics of

community people N- 495

Demographic

Variables

Frequency Percentage

Age group

Adolescent

Adult

Old age

25

397

73

5.10%

80.20%

14.70%

Sex

Male

Female

188

307

38%

62%

Religion

Hindu

Muslim

492

3

94.40%

00.60

Table 1. Socio-demographic characteristics of

community people N- 495

Demographic

Variables

Frequency Percentage

Type of Family

Nuclear

Joint

392

103

79.20%

20.80%

Education

Illiterate

Primary

Secondary

HS

Graduate &

Above

08

26

323

55

83

01.60%

05.30%

65.25%

11.11%

16.80%

Table1. Socio-demographic characteristics of

community people N- 495

Demographic

Variables

Frequency Percentage

Occupation

Unemployed

Student

Daily Worker

Home maker

Service

Business

11

40

09

217

63

155

02.20%

08.10%

01.80%

43.80%

12.70%

31.30%

Family Income

Below Rs8000/

Rs8000/ –Rs25,000/

Above Rs25,000/

40

433

22

08.10%

87.50%

04.40%

Result and Discussion

S. No. Item related to basic knowledge Known Partially

Known

Not /less

Known

f % f % f %

1 Concept of “Mental Health” 26 5.3 175 35.4 294 59.4

2 Characteristics of Mentally healthy

persons 314 63.4 181 36.6

3Concept of Mental illness/problems 24 4.8 249 50.3 222 44.8

4 Etiology of Mental illness/problems53 10.7 327 66.1 115 23.2

5 Predisposing factors of Mental illness64 12.9 292 59.0 139 28.1

Table 2. Item wise analysis of Basic Knowledge

questionnaire regarding MHL N-495

Contd. Item wise analysis of diagnosis and intervention questionnaire

N-495

S. No. Item related to recognition Known Partially

Known

Not /less

Known

f % f % f %

6 Recognition of Depression32 6.5 209 42.2 253 51.1

7 Recognition of Anxiety Disorder55 11.1 320 64.6 120 24.2

8 Recognition of Obsessive Compulsive

Disorder 341 68.9 154 31.1

9 Recognition of complications of

Alcohol Abuse274 55.4 66 13.3 155 31.3

10 Cause of Alcohol Abuse172 34.7 76 15.4 247 49.9

11 Recognition of Child Behavioral

Disorder

61 12.3 67 13.5 367 74.2

Contd. Item wise analysis of diagnosis and intervention questionnaire

N-495

S.

No.Item related to intervention Known Partially

Known

Not /less

Known

f % f % f %

12 Sharing problems, sufficient recreation

are ways of being mentally healthy

47 9.5 212 42.8 236 47.7

13 Preventive measures of mental health

problem are regular exercise, to take

nutritious foods and sufficient water,

Good sleep, 6-8 hrs. /day

310 62.6 39 7.9 146 29.5

14 Deep breathing, meditation, family

support are ways of reducing mental

stress

88 17.8 328 66.3 79 16.0

Contd. Item wise analysis of diagnosis and intervention questionnaire

N-495

S.

No.Item of intervention Known Partially

Known

Not /less

Known

f % f % f %

15 Mentally ill person will seek help from

psychiatrist, psychologist, nurse but not

faith healers 402 81.2 93 18.8

16 Knowledge of discontinuation of

treatment 420 84.8 75 15.2

S. No. Item related to Rehabilitation Known Partially

Known

Not

Known

f % f % f %

17 Concept of Mental Rehabilitation138 27.9 357 72.1

18 Mentally ill patient can perform self care

& social activities who are undergoing

treatment

15 3.1320 64.6 160 32.3

19 Mentally ill able to get back his usual life

who are undergoing treatment335 67.7 160 32.3

20 Good Prognosis of timely treatment of

Mentally ill patient40 8.1 280 56.5 175 35.4

21 Concept of Mental Rehabilitation Centre25 5.0 198 40.0 272 54.9

Contd. Item wise analysis of Rehabilitation questionnaire regarding

MHL N-495

Table 3. Mean, median, standard deviation of area

wise and total knowledge score of MHL N -495

Minimum

Expected score

&

obtained score

Maximum

Expected score

&

obtained score

Mean Median SD

Basic

Knowledge

0

&

0

9

&

8

3.17 3 1.35

Diagnosis &

Intervention

0

&

5

23

&

21

13.04 13 3.01

Rehabilitation 0

&

0

8

&

7

2.88 3 1.29

Total

Knowledge

0

&

7

40

&

30

17.96 18 3.98

Level of knowledge

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

Good

Knowledge

Average

Knowledge

Poor

Knowledge

261

165

7052.8

33.114.1

Fre

qu

en

cy

an

d

pe

rce

nta

ge

N-495

Column diagram showing level of

knowledge among community people

f

%

Conclusion:

It is concluded that overall literacy rate

though more than average but needs

awareness programme.

Our students organized one day Project in

the community through seminar, role play,

distribution of pamphlets.

Quiz contests also arranged for participants

from community for evaluation purpose and

programme was successful.

Thank you Acknowledgements:

Principal, College of Nursing, Medical College & Hospital,

Kolkata,West Bengal

Head of the village Council of Goshpara,

Block Medical Officer, Jagadishpur BPHC

Medical officer, Goshpara PHC, Howrah.

M.Sc.Nursing students.