Santushi D. Amarasuriya|Anthony F. Jorm|Nicola Reavley
Depression literacy of undergraduates in a non-western developing context: the case of Sri Lanka
University of Colombo|University of Melbourne|University of Melbourne
research examining depression literacy undergraduates nonwestern developing countries limited study explores among undergraduates sri lanka total 4671 undergraduates responded survey presenting vignette depressed undergraduate asked identify problem describe intended helpseeking actions affected rate helpfulness range helpproviders interventions dealing mental health experts also rated options providing benchmark assessing undergraduates responses 174 undergraduates recognised depression significantly lower among responding sinhala compared english 35 vs 368 undergraduates indicated intentions seeking informal help friends parents professionals psychiatrists counsellors however majority rated helpproviders helpful aligning expert opinion options recommended experts rated helpful large proportion undergraduates included counsellingpsychological therapy selfhelp strategies enjoyable activities meditationyogarelaxation exercises however low proportion undergraduates rated western medicine improve mood helpful deviating expert opinion although endorsed experts undergraduates indicated intentions using religious strategies highly endorsing helpful labelling problem depression using mental healthrelated labels associated higher odds endorsing professional help label depression associated endorsing wider range professional options recognition rate depression might associated language used label undergraduates knowledge use medication depression needs improvement health promotion interventions depressed undergraduates must designed light prevalent sociocultural backdrop undergraduates high endorsement informal culturally relevant helpseeking improving ability recognise problem mental healthrelated might trigger use professional options help