Mental health literacy in relation to some aspects of public mental health in two slovenian regions

Depresija in anksiozne motnje predstavljata velik javnozdravstveni problem in imata tudi veliko vrzel zdravljenja. Pismenost o duševnem zdravju (PODZ) je koncept, ki se odraža v večjem znanju in ozaveščenosti o duševnih motnjah. Oba dejavnika prispevata k hitrejšemu iskanju pomoči in k boljšemu duševnemu zdravju (DZ). PODZ je v veliki meri odvisna od promocijskih in preventivnih aktivnosti na področju duševnega zdravja, odraža pa se lahko v nekaterih indikatorjih DZ. V študiji nas je zanimalo ali bo v savinjski regiji, v kateri so se v zadnjih letih načrtno lotili ozaveščanja o vsebinah DZ, zaznana večja PODZ kot v pomurski regiji, kjer je opažen bistven primanjkljaj tovrstnih aktivnosti na področju DZ. Na vzorcu odraslih oseb iz pomurske in savinjske regije smo preverili ali obstaja razlika v pismenosti o depresiji ter o anksioznosti. Poleg tega nas je zanimala tudi morebitna povezava PODZ z izraženostjo znakov depresije in anksioznosti ter razlika med regijama v nekaterih kazalnikih DZ. Rezultati naše študije kažejo, da je v savinjski regiji v primerjavi s pomursko regijo zaznana višja pismenost o duševnem zdravju. Razlike so bolj izrazite pri pismenosti o anksioznosti kot pri pismenosti o depresiji. Razlike med regijama v pojavnosti znakov depresije in anksioznosti niso bile opažene, prav tako pa se razlike v PODZ tudi niso enoznačno odražale v kazalnikih duševnega zdravja. Ugotovitve pričujoče študije kažejo, da je med regijami v Sloveniji potrebno odpraviti neenakosti na področju preventivnih in promocijskih aktivnosti in več pozornosti v javnozdravstvenih kampanijah nameniti anksioznim motnjam. Za boljše razumevanje povezanosti PODZ in DZ pa potrebujemo še dodatne raziskave.Depression and anxiety disorders are major mental health issues with the largest treatment gaps. Mental health literacy (MHL) is a concept which is reflected in knowledge and awareness about mental disorders. Those two factors are amongst the main factors which can lead to early help-seeking and better mental health. MHL mostly depends on public prevention and promotion activities in the filed of mental health and it can also be reflected in some mental health indicators. We examined the differences in MHL between the Savinjska region where there were some planned mental health awareness activities in recent years and the Pomurje region where there was a lack of such activities. On the samples of adults from the Savinjska and Pomurje region we examined the differences between them regardingdepression and anxiety literacy. We also examined the potential relationship between MHL and depression and anxiety symptoms and differences between the regions in some indicators of mental health. Results of our study show that overall MHL is higher in the Savinjska dolina region. Differences are more prominent in anxiety literacy. There was no relationship of MHL with depression and anxiety symptoms and differences in MHL between the regions were not unambiguously reflected in indicators of mental health. Findings of our study indicate that we have to eliminate the differences between Slovenian regions in promotional and prevention activities in the field of mental health and also dedicate more attention on anxiety disorders. For a better understanding of the relationship between MHL and mental health we also need some additional studies