Deborah Oyine Aluh|Obinna Chukwudi Anyachebelu|Chibueze Anosike|Ezinne L. Anizoba
Mental health literacy: what do Nigerian adolescents know about depression?
University of Nigeria|Nnamdi Azikiwe University|University of Nigeria|Leeds Beckett University
depression leading cause disability projected become 2nd burdensome disease year 2020 depression also found strongest single risk factor attempted completed suicides adolescentonset mood disorders frequently unrecognized misdiagnosed often go untreated growing literature mental health literacy adults parallel interest mental health literacy young people nigeriathe study crosssectional descriptive survey conducted among students federal government college high school southeast nigeria consenting students senior secondary classes grades 1012 recruited making total 285 participants participants presented friend need questionnaire designed elicit participants recognition disorder depicted two vignettes recommendation appropriate source helpseeking one vignette clinically depressed case vignette girl undergoing normal life crisisout 285 students recruited study 277 questionnaires adequately completed indicating response rate 972 total 48 n 13 participants correctly identified labelled depression vignette four respondents 15 recommended professional help psychiatrist psychologist insomnia identified symptom distress depression 171 females demonstrated higher mental health literacy terms ability correctly label depression vignettes expression greater concern depressed peer males expectation depression requires longer recovery normal teenage problems ability identify individual symptoms depression family friends recommended source helpmental health literacy abysmally low amongst adolescents surveyed theres urgent need increase mental health awareness nigeria