MENTAL HEALTH LITERACY AMONG UNDERGRADUATE MEDICAL STUDENTS IN EASTERN NEPAL

Abstract

Background: Mental health literacy encompasses an understanding of mental disorders to aid their early recognition, management and prevention. Mental health literacy determines better mental healthcare. There is a paucity of evidence of mental health literacy among medical students in eastern Nepal. Hence, we aimed to assess mental health literacy and its associated factors among medical students of eastern Nepal.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from 28 July 2021 to 28 December 2021 among the medical students at Birat Medical College Teaching Hospital. The total enumerative sampling technique was used among 220 population. Mental health literacy scale for healthcare students (MHLS-HS) was administered online for data collection. Independent t-test and One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) test were performed. A p-value less than 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant.

Results: The study participants achieved about 74% of the total possible mental health literacy score. The mean score was 96.12±8.66, indicating a relatively high level of mental health literacy (range 26-130). Academic year (p-value=0.027) and family openness on mental health issues (p-value<0.001) were significantly associated with mental health literacy. Third-year students reported higher levels of mental health literacy compared to first-year students (p-value=0.024).

Conclusions: Mental health literacy among medical students was not found to be at an optimum level. Higher academic year and family openness on mental health issues are positive predictors of mental health literacy. So, mental health education or behavioral sciences should be introduced early in the medical school curriculum or even in high school.