Mental health literacy: concept and application for mental health problem prevention in older adults

ความรอบรู้ด้านสุขภาพในผู้สูงอายุ

Authors

  • Thangkratok P Srisavarindhira Thai Red Cross Institute of Nursing, Thailand https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8169-411X
  • Palacheewa N Srisavarindhira Thai Red Cross Institute of Nursing, Thailand
  • Trainattawan W Boromarajonani College of Nursing Changwat Nonthaburi
  • Boonpradit P Sap Poep Subdistrict Health Promoting Hospital, Thailand

Keywords:

mental health literacy, older adults, mental health problem, prevention

Abstract

Objective This article presented a literature review of the concept and application of mental health literacy for mental health problem prevention in older adults.

Methods International electronic databases of PubMed and Scopus, and National electronic databases of the Thai-Journal Citation Index (TCI) were used for searching research and literature in the recent ten years (2010-2019). The keywords of “mental health literacy” and “older adults” were used for searching research and literature relating to the concept and application of mental health literacy for mental health problem prevention in older adults.

Results The results illustrated that mental health literacy embraced six components as follows: 1) the ability to recognize specific disorders or different types of psychological distress, 2) knowledge and beliefs about risk factors and causes, 3) knowledge and beliefs about self-help interventions, 4) knowledge and beliefs about professional help available, 5) attitudes which facilitate recognition and appropriate help-seeking, and 6) knowledge of how to seek mental health information. There were very few studies and limited evidence that showed the effectiveness of applying the concept of men-tal health literacy to prevent mental health problems in older adults.

Conclusion According to this article, we recommended that further studies to obtain empirical evidence of the effectiveness of applying the concept of mental health literacy to mental health-promoting were necessary, as well as providing programs to prevent mental health problems in older adult’s age groups.

References

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Published

2020-07-01

How to Cite

1.
P T, N P, W T, P B. Mental health literacy: concept and application for mental health problem prevention in older adults : ความรอบรู้ด้านสุขภาพในผู้สูงอายุ. BSCM [Internet]. 2020 Jul. 1 [cited 2024 Mar. 29];59(3):163-72. Available from: https://he01.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/CMMJ-MedCMJ/article/view/241355

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Section

Review Article