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Cited by 2,585Mental Health Treatment and AccessHealth Literacy and Information AccessibilityMental Health and Patient Involvement

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 11 of the 11 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

“Mental health literacy”: a survey of the public's ability to recognise mental disorders and their beliefs about the effectiveness of treatment

Jorm, Anthony F, Korten, Ailsa E, Jacomb, Patricia A, Christensen, Helen, Rodgers, Bryan, Pollitt, Penelope·1997·Medical Journal of Australia
DOI 10.5694/j.1326-5377.1997.tb140071.x
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Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To assess the public's recognition of mental disorders and their beliefs about the effectiveness of various treatments ("mental health literacy"). DESIGN: A cross-sectional survey, in 1995, with structured interviews using vignettes of a person with either depression or schizophrenia. PARTICIPANTS: A representative national sample of 2031 individuals aged 18-74 years; 1010 participants were questioned about the depression vignette and 1021 about the schizophrenia vignette. RESULTS: Most of the participants recognised the presence of some sort of mental disorder: 72% for the depression vignette (correctly labelled as depression by 39%) and 84% for the schizophrenia vignette (correctly labelled by 27%). When various people were rated as likely to be helpful or harmful for the person described in the vignette for depression, general practitioners (83%) and counsellors (74%) were most often rated as helpful, with psychiatrists (51%) and psychologists (49%) less so. Corresponding data for the schizophrenia vignette were: counsellors (81%), GPs (74%), psychiatrists (71%) and psychologists (62%). Many standard psychiatric treatments (antidepressants, antipsychotics, electroconvulsive therapy, admission to a psychiatric ward) were more often rated as harmful than helpful, and some nonstandard treatments were rated highly (increased physical or social activity, relaxation and stress management, reading about people with similar problems). Vitamins and special diets were more often rated as helpful than were antidepressants and antipsychotics. CONCLUSION: If mental disorders are to be recognised early in the community and appropriate intervention sought, the level of mental health literacy needs to be raised. Further, public understanding of psychiatric treatments can be considerably improved.

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Citations

Cites

Research works printed but not linked: 4

  1. Nutbeam D, 1993, Goals and targets for Australia's health in the year 2000 and beyond
  2. Australian Bureau of Statistics, 1995, Population survey monitor, August 1995 (No. 4103.0)
  3. World Health Organization, 1993, The ICD‐10 classification of mental and behavioural disorders. Diagnostic criteria for research
  4. Depression Guideline Panel, 1993, Depression in primary care: Volume 2. Treatment of major depression. Clinical practice guideline, number 5

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Metadata

Authors
Jorm, A. F., Korten, A. E., Jacomb, P. A., Christensen, H., Rodgers, B., & Pollitt, P.
Affiliations
Australian National University (AU)
Corresponding author
Jorm, Anthony F
ORCID
Venue
Medical Journal of Australia
Publisher
Wiley
Published
1997-02
Volume
166
Issue
4
Pages
182-186
ISSN
  • 0025-729X (ISSN-L)
  • 1326-5377
DOI
10.5694/j.1326-5377.1997.tb140071.x
OpenAlex
W1206579674
Cited by
2,585
References
11
Citations by year
2026: 197 · 2025: 220 · 2024: 223 · 2023: 235 · 2022: 193 · 2021: 176 · 2020: 152 · 2019: 130 · 2018: 98 · 2017: 103 · 2016: 86 · 2015: 80 · 2014: 79 · 2013: 82 · 2012: 47
FWCI
29.48
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
Locations
  • The Medical Journal of Australia (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • ANU Open Research (Australian National University) (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Mental Health Treatment and Access
  • Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Health Literacy and Information Accessibility
  • Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Mental Health and Patient Involvement
Keywords
mental health literacy, depression, schizophrenia, treatment effectiveness, help-seeking, general practitioners, counselors, psychiatrists, antidepressants, antipsychotic drugs, electroconvulsive therapy, community mental health
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Attitude to Health, Australia, Cross-Sectional Studies, Depressive Disorder, Female, Health Services Needs and Demand, Humans, Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice, Male, Middle Aged, Prognosis, Surveys and Questionnaires, Schizophrenia, Treatment Outcome

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