Louise Farrer|Liana Leach|Kathleen M Griffiths|Helen Christensen|Anthony F. Jorm
Age differences in mental health literacy
Australian National University|Australian National University|Australian National University|Australian National University|Orygen|University of Melbourne
communitys knowledge beliefs mental health problems risk factors treatments sources help may vary function agedata taken epidemiological survey conducted 20032004 national clustered sample australian adults aged 18 years following presentation vignette describing depression n 1001 schizophrenia n 997 respondents asked series questions relating knowledge recognition disorder beliefs helpfulness treating professionals medical psychological lifestyle treatments likely causesparticipant age coded five categories crosstabulated mental health literacy variables comparisons age groups revealed although older adults 70 years poorer younger age groups correctly recognising depression schizophrenia young adults 1824 years likely misidentify schizophrenia depression differences also observed younger older age groups terms beliefs helpfulness certain treating professionals medical lifestyle treatments depression schizophrenia older respondents likely believe schizophrenia could caused character weaknessdifferences mental health literacy across adult lifespan suggest specific age appropriate messages mental health required younger older age groups tendency young adults overidentify depression signals need awareness campaigns focus differentiation mental disorders