The term mental health literacy was first introduced in Australia by Anthony Jorm.Footnote 5 It is derived from the term health literacy, originally defined as a functional capacity related to basic literacy skills and how these affect the ability of people to access and use health information. Footnote 6 In recent years the definition has expanded to include a range of increasingly complex cognitive and social skills, which are related to personal and collective empowerment for health promotion. By extending the concept of health literacy to include skills and abilities that humans use to create meaning from and exert control over the environment, the revised definition situates health literacy within a population health model. Footnote 7
Mental health literacy has been defined as “knowledge and beliefs about mental disorders which aid their recognition, management or prevention”. Footnote 8 It represents a relatively new area of investigation and, compared with health literacy, researchers and policymakers have not articulated a comprehensive model for mental health literacy as a gradient of evolving skills and capacities that build empowerment for mental health promotion. This paper applies the conceptual model for health literacy to mental health literacy on the assumption that the skills and capacities that lead to personal and collective empowerment for health promotion are no different from those needed for mental health promotion.
Much of the literature suggests that laypeople generally have a poor understanding of mental illness: they are unable to correctly identify mental disorders, do not understand the underlying causal factors, are fearful of those who are perceived as mentally ill, have incorrect beliefs about the effectiveness of treatment interventions, are often reluctant to seek help for mental disorders, and are not sure how to help others. Footnote 9 Over the past few years, recognition and awareness appears to have increased in countries such as Australia, which has invested heavily in public awareness initiatives, although researchers still see need for improvement.Footnote10
In the West, most people believe that psychosocial factors such as environmental stressors or childhood events, are the primary causes of mental disorders. Footnote 11 Attitudes towards mental disorders often involve negative stereotypes and prejudice, or stigma.Footnote 12 People with mental health problems often fear stigma and this may influence help-seeking behaviour or cause failure to adhere to treatment.Footnote 13 Stigma and discrimination in the workplace is common. Footnote 14 Stigma and discrimination are associated with fears of unpredictability and dangerousness. Footnote 15 Research indicates that fear and perceptions of dangerousness related to mental illness have increased over the past few decades, largely in relation to serious mental illness such as schizophrenia, and many people see persons with serious mental illness as potentially violent and dangerous. Footnote 16
Return to note 5 Jorm, 1997a.
Return to note 6 Black, 2002; Hixon, 2004
Return to note 7 Gazmararian et al, 2000; Nutbeam, 2000; Kickbush, 2001; Ratzan, 2001; Rootman, 2002; Rootman, 2004.
Return to note 8 Jorm, 1997a
Return to note 9 Priest et al, 1996; Jorm et al, 1997a; Link et al, 1999; Angermeyer and Matschinger, 1999; Jorm, 2000; Highet et al, 2002; Lauber et al, 2003a; Jorm et al, 2005a; Jorm, 2007
Return to note 10 Goldney et al, 2005; Jorm et al, 2005b; Jorm et al, 2006a; Jorm et al, 2006b
Return to note 11 Priest et al, 1996; Jorm, 1997b; Link et al, 1999; Jorm, 2000; Walker and Read; 2002
Return to note 12 Sims, 1993; Priest et al, 1996; Link et al, 1999; Walker and Read, 2002; Corrigan and Penn, 1999; Phelan et al, 2000; Martin et al, 2000; Stuart, 2005
Return to note 13 Priest et al, 1996; Watson & Corrigan, 2001; McNair et al, 2002
Return to note 14 Stuart, 2005
Return to note 15 Link et al, 1999; Walker and Read, 2002; Read and Law, 1999; Phelan et al, 2000; Corrigan et al, 2003
Return to note 16 Pescosolido et al, 1999; Crisp et al, 2000; Phelan et al, 2000; Walker and Read, 2002