Depression Literacy of Women and Girls in Terms of Prevention and Interventions
Abstract
Objective: Recognizing the status of mental health literacy among women and girls as effective and key individuals in family and society seem to be essential. Therefore, the present study was conducted to evaluate depression literacy among women and girls in Tehran on prevention and effective interventions for improving depression.
Method: This study was part of a large mental health literacy project on residents of Tehran in 2017, with a sample size of 1023 girls and women aged 16-68 years. Random Digit Dialing (RDD) sampling was done using the Australian questionnaire, whose Persian version’s validity and reliability was tested in our previous study. Data were analyzed by SPSS 21 software. In order to determine the effect of demographic variables on predicting depression literacy among participants, multiple regression analysis was performed.
Results: Receiving counseling, relaxation training, having physical activity, and studying self-help books were the most helpful items, respectively, from the participations’ point of view. More than 70% of participants agreed with avoiding stressful situations and close relationship with family and friends, while only 49.8% agreed with coping skills learning. Based on the regression analysis, only higher education and the history of exposure to a person with similar Vignette problem were able to predict mental health literacy in the area of intervention and prevention.
Conclusion: Considering the effects of women’s and girls’ depression on individual, family, and even social life, more attention should be paid to improve depression literacy in this group.
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2. World Health Organization, Gender and women's mental health: Gender disparities and mental health: The facts.
3. McGinn, T, et al. State of world population 2015. Shelter from the storm. A transformative agenda for women and girls in a crisis-prone world. The United Nations Population Fund 2015.
4. Rodin J. Accelerating action towards universal health coverage by applying a gender lens. Bull World Health Organ. 2013 Sep;91(9):710-1.
5. World Health Organization. Women's mental health: An evidence based review. 2000, Geneva: World Health Organization.
6. Bonabi H, Müller M, Ajdacic-Gross V, Eisele J, Rodgers S, Seifritz E, et al. Mental Health Literacy, Attitudes to Help Seeking, and Perceived Need as Predictors of Mental Health Service Use: A Longitudinal Study. J Nerv Ment Dis. 2016 Apr;204(4):321-4.
7. Nambi S. Marriage, mental health and the Indian legislation. Indian J Psychiatry. 2005 Jan; 47(1):3-14.
8. Rickwood DJ, Deane FP, Wilson CJ. When and how do young people seek professional help for mental health problems?. Med J Aust. 2007 Oct;187(S7):S35-9.
9. Gulliver A, Griffiths KM, Christensen H. Perceived barriers and facilitators to mental health help-seeking in young people: a systematic review. BMC Psychiatry. 2010 Dec;10:113.
10. Saraf G, Chandra PS, Desai G, Rao GN. What Adolescent Girls Know about Mental Health: Findings from a Mental Health Literacy Survey from an Urban Slum Setting in India. Indian J Psychol Med. 2018 Sep;40(5):433-9.
11. Jorm AF, Korten AE, Jacomb PA, Christensen H, Rodgers B, Pollitt P. "Mental health literacy": a survey of the public's ability to recognise mental disorders and their beliefs about the effectiveness of treatment. Med J Aust. 1997;166(4):182-6.
12. Loureiro, LM, et al. Mental health literacy about depression: a survey of portuguese youth. BMC psychiatry. 2013 May; 13(1): 129.
13. World Health Organization. Constitution of the World Health Organization. 2012.
14. Palpant RG, Steimnitz R, Bornemann TH, Hawkins K. The Carter Center Mental Health Program: addressing the public health crisis in the field of mental health through policy change and stigma reduction. Prev Chronic Dis. 2006 Apr; 3(2):A62.
15. Investing in Global Health, A Regional Spotlight on the Middle East and North Africa Region The 10 Leading Causes of Burden of Disease. 2006; TOPHEALTH/Resources/DCPP-15-MENA.pdf.
16. Ko JY, Farr SL, Dietz PM, Robbins CL. Depression and treatment among U.S. pregnant and nonpregnant women of reproductive age, 2005-2009. J Womens Health (Larchmt). 2012 Aug;21(8):830-6.
17. Heir T, Weisaeth L. Acute disaster exposure and mental health complaints of Norwegian tsunami survivors six months post disaster. Psychiatry. 2008 Dec;71(3):266-76.
18. Bahrami MA, Bahrami D, Chaman-Ara K. The correlations of mental health literacy with psychological aspects of general health among Iranian female students. Int J Ment Health Syst. 2019 Aug;13:59.
19. Noroozi A, Khademolhosseini F, Lari H, Tahmasebi R. The Mediator Role of Mental Health Literacy in the Relationship Between Demographic Variables and Health-Promoting Behaviours, Iran J Psychiatry Behav Sci. 2018 Apr; 12(2):e12603.
20. Sayarifard A, Ghadirian L, Mohit A, Eftekhar M, Badpa M, Rajabi F. Assessing mental health literacy: What medical sciences students' know about depression. Med J Islam Repub Iran. 2015 Jan;29:161.
21. Reavley NJ, Morgan AJ, Jorm AF. Development of scales to assess mental health literacy relating to recognition of and interventions for depression, anxiety disorders and schizophrenia/psychosis. Aust N Z J Psychiatry. 2014 Jan;48(1):61-9.
22. Jorm AF. Mental health literacy: empowering the community to take action for better mental health. Am Psychol. 2012 May;67(3):231-43.
23. Arafat SMY, Al Mamun MA, Uddin S. Depression literacy among first-year university students: a cross-sectional study in Bangladesh. Global Psychiatry 2019 Jan;2(1):1–6.
24. Arafat SMY, Ahmed S, Uddin S. Depression literacy status in Bangladesh: a cross-sectional comparative observation. J Behav Health. 2018 Mar;7(2):91–7.
25. Ram D, Chandran S, Gowdappa B. Suicide and depression literacy among healthcare profession students in tertiary care center in South India. J Mood Disord. 2017 Aug;7(3):149–55.
26. Reavley NJ, McCann TV, Jorm AF. Mental health literacy in higher education students. Early Interv Psychiatry 2012 Feb;6(1):45-52
27. Reavley NJ, Jorm AF. Recognition of mental disorders and beliefs about treatment and outcome: findings from an Australian national survey of mental health literacy and stigma. Aust N Z J Psychiatry. 2011 Nov;45(11):947-56.
28. Jorm AF, Nakane Y, Christensen H, Yoshioka K, Griffiths KM, Wata Y. Public beliefs about treatment and outcome of mental disorders: a comparison of Australia and Japan. BMC Med. 2005 Jul;3:12.
29. Jorm AF, Morgan AJ, Wright A. A comparison of clinician, youth, and parent beliefs about helpfulness of interventions for early psychosis. Psychiatr Serv. 2008 Oct;59(10):1115-20.
30. Holubova M, Prasko J, Ociskova M, Grambal A, Slepecky M, Marackova M, et al. Quality of life and coping strategies of outpatients with a depressive disorder in maintenance therapy - a cross-sectional study. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat. 2018 Dec;14:73-82.
31. Moghanibashi, E, Asgharipour N. Effectiveness of Coping Skills Training on Depression and Psychological Well-Being among Girl Adolescents. Horizon 2015 Jan;21(4): 117-22.
32. Ram D, Benny N, Gowdappa B. Relationship between depression literacy and medication adherence in patients with depression. J Mood Disord. 2016 Nov ;6(4): 183.
33. World Health Organization. Conquering depression: You can get out of the blues. 2001, WHO Regional Office for South-East Asia.
34. Amarasuriya SD, Jorm AF, Reavley NJ. Quantifying and predicting depression literacy of undergraduates: a cross sectional study in Sri Lanka. BMC Psychiatry. 2015 Oct;15:269.
2. World Health Organization, Gender and women's mental health: Gender disparities and mental health: The facts.
3. McGinn, T, et al. State of world population 2015. Shelter from the storm. A transformative agenda for women and girls in a crisis-prone world. The United Nations Population Fund 2015.
4. Rodin J. Accelerating action towards universal health coverage by applying a gender lens. Bull World Health Organ. 2013 Sep;91(9):710-1.
5. World Health Organization. Women's mental health: An evidence based review. 2000, Geneva: World Health Organization.
6. Bonabi H, Müller M, Ajdacic-Gross V, Eisele J, Rodgers S, Seifritz E, et al. Mental Health Literacy, Attitudes to Help Seeking, and Perceived Need as Predictors of Mental Health Service Use: A Longitudinal Study. J Nerv Ment Dis. 2016 Apr;204(4):321-4.
7. Nambi S. Marriage, mental health and the Indian legislation. Indian J Psychiatry. 2005 Jan; 47(1):3-14.
8. Rickwood DJ, Deane FP, Wilson CJ. When and how do young people seek professional help for mental health problems?. Med J Aust. 2007 Oct;187(S7):S35-9.
9. Gulliver A, Griffiths KM, Christensen H. Perceived barriers and facilitators to mental health help-seeking in young people: a systematic review. BMC Psychiatry. 2010 Dec;10:113.
10. Saraf G, Chandra PS, Desai G, Rao GN. What Adolescent Girls Know about Mental Health: Findings from a Mental Health Literacy Survey from an Urban Slum Setting in India. Indian J Psychol Med. 2018 Sep;40(5):433-9.
11. Jorm AF, Korten AE, Jacomb PA, Christensen H, Rodgers B, Pollitt P. "Mental health literacy": a survey of the public's ability to recognise mental disorders and their beliefs about the effectiveness of treatment. Med J Aust. 1997;166(4):182-6.
12. Loureiro, LM, et al. Mental health literacy about depression: a survey of portuguese youth. BMC psychiatry. 2013 May; 13(1): 129.
13. World Health Organization. Constitution of the World Health Organization. 2012.
14. Palpant RG, Steimnitz R, Bornemann TH, Hawkins K. The Carter Center Mental Health Program: addressing the public health crisis in the field of mental health through policy change and stigma reduction. Prev Chronic Dis. 2006 Apr; 3(2):A62.
15. Investing in Global Health, A Regional Spotlight on the Middle East and North Africa Region The 10 Leading Causes of Burden of Disease. 2006; TOPHEALTH/Resources/DCPP-15-MENA.pdf.
16. Ko JY, Farr SL, Dietz PM, Robbins CL. Depression and treatment among U.S. pregnant and nonpregnant women of reproductive age, 2005-2009. J Womens Health (Larchmt). 2012 Aug;21(8):830-6.
17. Heir T, Weisaeth L. Acute disaster exposure and mental health complaints of Norwegian tsunami survivors six months post disaster. Psychiatry. 2008 Dec;71(3):266-76.
18. Bahrami MA, Bahrami D, Chaman-Ara K. The correlations of mental health literacy with psychological aspects of general health among Iranian female students. Int J Ment Health Syst. 2019 Aug;13:59.
19. Noroozi A, Khademolhosseini F, Lari H, Tahmasebi R. The Mediator Role of Mental Health Literacy in the Relationship Between Demographic Variables and Health-Promoting Behaviours, Iran J Psychiatry Behav Sci. 2018 Apr; 12(2):e12603.
20. Sayarifard A, Ghadirian L, Mohit A, Eftekhar M, Badpa M, Rajabi F. Assessing mental health literacy: What medical sciences students' know about depression. Med J Islam Repub Iran. 2015 Jan;29:161.
21. Reavley NJ, Morgan AJ, Jorm AF. Development of scales to assess mental health literacy relating to recognition of and interventions for depression, anxiety disorders and schizophrenia/psychosis. Aust N Z J Psychiatry. 2014 Jan;48(1):61-9.
22. Jorm AF. Mental health literacy: empowering the community to take action for better mental health. Am Psychol. 2012 May;67(3):231-43.
23. Arafat SMY, Al Mamun MA, Uddin S. Depression literacy among first-year university students: a cross-sectional study in Bangladesh. Global Psychiatry 2019 Jan;2(1):1–6.
24. Arafat SMY, Ahmed S, Uddin S. Depression literacy status in Bangladesh: a cross-sectional comparative observation. J Behav Health. 2018 Mar;7(2):91–7.
25. Ram D, Chandran S, Gowdappa B. Suicide and depression literacy among healthcare profession students in tertiary care center in South India. J Mood Disord. 2017 Aug;7(3):149–55.
26. Reavley NJ, McCann TV, Jorm AF. Mental health literacy in higher education students. Early Interv Psychiatry 2012 Feb;6(1):45-52
27. Reavley NJ, Jorm AF. Recognition of mental disorders and beliefs about treatment and outcome: findings from an Australian national survey of mental health literacy and stigma. Aust N Z J Psychiatry. 2011 Nov;45(11):947-56.
28. Jorm AF, Nakane Y, Christensen H, Yoshioka K, Griffiths KM, Wata Y. Public beliefs about treatment and outcome of mental disorders: a comparison of Australia and Japan. BMC Med. 2005 Jul;3:12.
29. Jorm AF, Morgan AJ, Wright A. A comparison of clinician, youth, and parent beliefs about helpfulness of interventions for early psychosis. Psychiatr Serv. 2008 Oct;59(10):1115-20.
30. Holubova M, Prasko J, Ociskova M, Grambal A, Slepecky M, Marackova M, et al. Quality of life and coping strategies of outpatients with a depressive disorder in maintenance therapy - a cross-sectional study. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat. 2018 Dec;14:73-82.
31. Moghanibashi, E, Asgharipour N. Effectiveness of Coping Skills Training on Depression and Psychological Well-Being among Girl Adolescents. Horizon 2015 Jan;21(4): 117-22.
32. Ram D, Benny N, Gowdappa B. Relationship between depression literacy and medication adherence in patients with depression. J Mood Disord. 2016 Nov ;6(4): 183.
33. World Health Organization. Conquering depression: You can get out of the blues. 2001, WHO Regional Office for South-East Asia.
34. Amarasuriya SD, Jorm AF, Reavley NJ. Quantifying and predicting depression literacy of undergraduates: a cross sectional study in Sri Lanka. BMC Psychiatry. 2015 Oct;15:269.
| Files | ||
| Issue | Vol 16 No 4 (2021) | |
| Section | Original Article(s) | |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.18502/ijps.v16i4.7230 | |
| Keywords | ||
| Depression Literacy Primary Prevention Secondary Prevention Women | ||
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How to Cite
1.
Sayarifard A, Rajabi F, Shahraki-Mohammadi A, Khorrami Z, Ghadirian L. Depression Literacy of Women and Girls in Terms of Prevention and Interventions. Iran J Psychiatry. 2021;16(4):430-437.
