Sarbhan Singh1*, Rafdzah Ahmad Zaki2, Nik Daliana Nik Farid2, Kushilpal Kaur3
1. Biomedical Epidemiology Unit, Special Resources Centre, Institute for Medical Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Setia Alam, 40170 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia
2. Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
3. Department of Psychiatry, Hospital Selayang, Ministry of Health Malaysia, 68100 Batu Caves, Selangor, Malaysia
*Corresponding author: Sarbhan Singh, Biomedical Epidemiology Unit, Special Resources Centre, Institute for Medical Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Setia Alam, 40170 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia,
CITATION: Singh S, Ahmad Zaki R, Nik Farid ND, Kaur K. Association of mental health knowledge, stigma, and help-seeking with depression symptoms among young Malaysian adolescents. International Medical Research Journal. 2022 Jun;8(1):46–68.
ABSTRACT
This study examines the association between the mental health knowledge, stigma and help-seeking components of Mental Health Literacy (MHL) with depression symptoms among young adolescents in Malaysia. A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 1,365 students selected randomly from 50 National Secondary Schools in Selangor from August to November 2017. MHL was assessed using the Mental Health Literacy and Stigma questionnaire (MHLS) and the Centre of Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CESD) was used to screen for depression symptoms. Multivariate regression analysis was used to examine this association. Mental health knowledge, such as keeping the person busy as a helpful first aid action (negative first aid action) (AOR=1.75 (95% CI 1.19, 2.59), and getting out into the sunlight as a harmful intervention (unhelpful knowledge of intervention) (AOR=2.22; 95% CI 1.10, 4.50), were significantly associated with depression. In regard to stigma components, personal stigmatising attitudes such as not telling anyone if you have a problem like the person described in the vignette (AOR=2.52; 95% CI 1.50, 4.26) and perceiving the person described in the vignette as being dangerous to others (AOR=2.49; 95% CI 1.36, 4.55) were significantly associated with depression. Not endorsing family as a source of help (AOR=2.19; 95% CI 1.02, 4.69), worried what others might think if help is sought (AOR=1.67; 95% CI 1.02, 2.75), feeling that nothing can help (AOR=1.66; 95% CI 1.01, 2.70), were help-seeking components significantly associated with depression. Addressing these components of MHL could be key in reducing depression among adolescents.
KEYWORDS: Depression, Mental Health Literacy, Adolescents
