Mental Health Literacy Levels and General Health Perceptions of Faculty of Health Sciences Students

Abstract

The aim of this study is to determine the general health perceptions and mental health literacy levels of students studying in the Faculty of Health Sciences who will be involved in professional service delivery and decision-making processes in the field of health in the future. The research is a cross-sectional descriptive study conducted with students from the Nutrition and Dietetics, Child Development, Health Management, Social Work, and Orthotics-Prosthetics departments at Ankara University Faculty of Health Sciences during the 2021-2022 academic year. A total of 310 students participated in the study, which was conducted using a face-to-face survey method. In line with the purpose of the study, the Mental Health Literacy Scale (MHLS) and the General Health Perception Scale (GHPS-12) were used. The mean score on the MHLS scale for the participating students was 15.07±3.14, while the mean score on the GHPS-12 scale was found to be 4.34±3.46. Mental health literacy and its sub-dimensions showed statistically significant differences based on gender, department, class, and alcohol use. Furthermore, there was a significant difference in students' general health perception scores based on department, class, and mental health status. It is observed that students at the Faculty of Health Sciences need support to seek help in order to maintain and improve their mental health, especially to recognize depression and similar mental disorders. In this context, it is recommended that the curriculum program aimed at increasing the knowledge level of prospective professionals who will work in the fields of healthcare and mental health services on common topics in society such as schizophrenia, depression, and suicide be updated.