Mental health literacy

A picture showing the variety of mental health illnesses.

Mental health literacy has been defined as "knowledge and beliefs about mental disorders which aid their recognition, management and prevention. Mental health literacy includes the ability to recognize specific disorders; knowing how to seek mental health information; knowledge of risk factors and causes, of self-treatments, and of professional help available; and attitudes that promote recognition and appropriate help-seeking".[1] The concept of mental health literacy was derived from health literacy, which aims to increase patient knowledge about physical health, illnesses, and treatments.[2]

  1. ^ Jorm, A.F.; Korten, A.E.; Jacomb, P.A.; Christensen, H.; Rodgers, B.; Pollitt, P. (1997). ""Mental health literacy": a survey of the public's ability to recognise mental disorders and their beliefs about the effectiveness of treatment". Medical Journal of Australia. 166 (4): 182–186. doi:10.5694/j.1326-5377.1997.tb140071.x. PMID 9066546. S2CID 24516524.
  2. ^ Jorm, Anthony F.; Korten, Ailsa E.; Jacomb, Patricia A.; Christensen, Helen; Rodgers, Bryan; Pollitt, Penelope (1997-01-01). "Mental health literacy: a survey of the public's ability to recognise mental disorders and their beliefs about the effectiveness of treatment". Medical Journal of Australia. 166 (4): 182–186. doi:10.5694/j.1326-5377.1997.tb140071.x. ISSN 0025-729X. PMID 9066546. S2CID 24516524.