{"title":"Examining depression literacy and related factors among caregivers of psychiatric patients.","authors":"Reyhan Eskiyurt, Birgül Özkan, Ali Çayköylü","doi":"10.1177/00207640251345315","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Mental health literacy is considered crucial for promoting mental health, early diagnosis, referral to mental health services, and ongoing care. The demands and obligations of caregiving can profoundly affect caregivers' health, work, social life, and relationships, often leading to mental health challenges.</p><p><strong>Aim: </strong>This study was conducted to examine the mental health of informal caregivers and to determine its relationship with study variables.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This study was conducted between July 1, 2024 and October 1, 2024, involving informal caregivers of individuals diagnosed with psychiatric conditions. A total of 277 caregivers participated in the study. The research tools were a sociodemographic form, the Depression Literacy Questionnaire (DLS), the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and the Self-Actualization Index (SAI). The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and correlation.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The participants' SAI, BDI, and DLS mean scores were 45.26 ± 6.38, 10.00 ± 8.90, and 12.84 ± 2.73, respectively. A significant negative relationship was found between their SAI and BDI scores (<i>p</i> < .05), while a significant positive relationship was identified between their SAI and DLS scores (<i>p</i> < .05). However, no significant relationship was observed between their BDI and DLS scores (<i>p</i> > .05). Depression literacy was significantly higher among women, single individuals, those with higher education levels, individuals with higher incomes, and those who sought help from a mental health professional (<i>p</i> < .05).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Increasing levels of depression literacy should be considered an important preventive strategy for addressing mental health issues in the community.</p>","PeriodicalId":14304,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Social Psychiatry","volume":" ","pages":"1030-1039"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7000,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"International Journal of Social Psychiatry","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1177/00207640251345315","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"2025/6/12 0:00:00","PubModel":"Epub","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"PSYCHIATRY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background: Mental health literacy is considered crucial for promoting mental health, early diagnosis, referral to mental health services, and ongoing care. The demands and obligations of caregiving can profoundly affect caregivers' health, work, social life, and relationships, often leading to mental health challenges.
Aim: This study was conducted to examine the mental health of informal caregivers and to determine its relationship with study variables.
Methods: This study was conducted between July 1, 2024 and October 1, 2024, involving informal caregivers of individuals diagnosed with psychiatric conditions. A total of 277 caregivers participated in the study. The research tools were a sociodemographic form, the Depression Literacy Questionnaire (DLS), the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and the Self-Actualization Index (SAI). The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and correlation.
Results: The participants' SAI, BDI, and DLS mean scores were 45.26 ± 6.38, 10.00 ± 8.90, and 12.84 ± 2.73, respectively. A significant negative relationship was found between their SAI and BDI scores (p < .05), while a significant positive relationship was identified between their SAI and DLS scores (p < .05). However, no significant relationship was observed between their BDI and DLS scores (p > .05). Depression literacy was significantly higher among women, single individuals, those with higher education levels, individuals with higher incomes, and those who sought help from a mental health professional (p < .05).
Conclusions: Increasing levels of depression literacy should be considered an important preventive strategy for addressing mental health issues in the community.
背景:心理健康素养被认为对促进心理健康、早期诊断、转诊到精神卫生服务机构和持续护理至关重要。照护的需求和义务会深刻影响照护者的健康、工作、社会生活和人际关系,往往会导致心理健康挑战。目的:本研究旨在探讨非正式照顾者的心理健康状况,并确定其与研究变量的关系。方法:本研究于2024年7月1日至2024年10月1日进行,涉及被诊断为精神疾病的个体的非正式照顾者。共有277名护理人员参与了这项研究。研究工具为社会人口学量表、抑郁素养问卷(DLS)、贝克抑郁量表(BDI)和自我实现指数(SAI)。数据采用描述性统计和相关性分析。结果:受试者的SAI、BDI、DLS平均得分分别为45.26±6.38、10.00±8.90、12.84±2.73。他们的SAI与BDI评分呈显著负相关(p p p >.05)。在女性、单身个体、受过高等教育的个体、收入较高的个体和寻求心理健康专业人员帮助的个体中,抑郁症扫盲率明显较高(p结论:提高抑郁症扫盲水平应被视为解决社区心理健康问题的重要预防策略。
期刊介绍:
The International Journal of Social Psychiatry, established in 1954, is a leading publication dedicated to the field of social psychiatry. It serves as a platform for the exchange of research findings and discussions on the influence of social, environmental, and cultural factors on mental health and well-being. The journal is particularly relevant to psychiatrists and multidisciplinary professionals globally who are interested in understanding the broader context of psychiatric disorders and their impact on individuals and communities.
Social psychiatry, as a discipline, focuses on the origins and outcomes of mental health issues within a social framework, recognizing the interplay between societal structures and individual mental health. The journal draws connections with related fields such as social anthropology, cultural psychiatry, and sociology, and is influenced by the latest developments in these areas.
The journal also places a special emphasis on fast-track publication for brief communications, ensuring that timely and significant research can be disseminated quickly. Additionally, it strives to reflect its international readership by publishing state-of-the-art reviews from various regions around the world, showcasing the diverse practices and perspectives within the psychiatric disciplines. This approach not only contributes to the scientific understanding of social psychiatry but also supports the global exchange of knowledge and best practices in mental health care.