Factors affecting mental health literacy of village health volunteers Phetchabun province

Abstract

Mental health is a crucial factor in the well-being of individuals, especially in community contexts where Village Health Volunteers (VHVs) play a pivotal role in mental health promotion, prevention, and surveillance. However, many VHVs lack sufficient knowledge and confidence to perform these roles effectively. This predictive research aimed to assess the level of mental health literacy among VHVs and identify factors predicting their mental health literacy in Phetchabun Province, Thailand. The participants were 360 VHVs selected using multistage random sampling. The research instruments included: 1) a personal data questionnaire, 2) a mental health-related experience questionnaire, 3) a perceived social support scale, 4) an access to mental health information scale, and 5) a mental health literacy scale. The reliability coefficients of the instruments ranged from 0.84 to 0.91. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and stepwise multiple regression analysis.

The findings revealed that VHVs had a moderate to high level of mental health literacy (M=133.39, SD=18.62). Significant predictors of mental health literacy were mental health-related experiences, perceived social support, and access to mental health information. These variables could jointly predict 41.6% of the variance in mental health literacy (adjusted R²=.416, p<.001).