Mental health literacy: an impediment to the optimum treatment of major depression in the community

Background: Mental health literacy refers to the knowledge and beliefs abou t mental disorders which aid their recognition, management and prevention. This study examined the mental health literacy and experience of depression in a random and representative community population. Method: The experienc e of depression and mental health literacy of 3010 subjects from a random a nd representative population were determined on the basis of responses to t he mood module of the PRIME-MD and questions about a vignette of a person w ith features of major depression. Results: Those with major depression had significantly mure personal experience of depression than those with other depressions and those who were not depressed, but there were few significan t differences between the groups in terms of mental health literacy. Of tho se with major depression. 40% considered anti-depressants helpful, but 40% also considered they were harmful. Conclusions: There is a considerable imp ediment to the recognition and management of major depression and a need fo r further community education programs. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.