Research of high students' and teachers' mental health literacy levels in fatih district of iİstanbul

Mental disorders are the leading cause of disease burden in all age groups. Determining the levels of mental health literacy are guiding studies in activities to promote mental health. In this study, it was aimed to determine the mental health literacy levels of high school students and teachers. Our study is a cross-sectional descriptive study. A total of 1051 people (810 high school students and 241 high school teachers) in Fatih District of Istanbul were included in our study between March 2019 and July 2019. Three data collection tools were applied to students and teachers: a questionnaire about sociodemographic and some other variables, The Mental Health Literacy Questionnaire and the Beliefs towards Mental Illness Scale. The average age of students' and teachers' were 16,0 ±1,4 and 40,1±8,3 respectively. Also 86.2% of students and 54,8% of the teachers were women. While 45.8% of students were in Anatolian High School; %58,5 of teachers' worked in Anatolian High School. Students' recognition percentages of depression, schizophrenia and social phobia vignettes were found to be 27,5% 47,7% and 6,2% respectively; while teachers' were found to be 46.5%, 42.7% and 26.1%, respectively. The percentages of finding the ''psychologist'' as ''helpful'' for the person who described in depression, schizophrenia and social phobia vignettes by the students was 86,0% 82,0% and 79,3% respectively; the teachers were 90.9%, 79.7% and 90.9%, respectively. A statistically significant relationship was found between students' correct recognition of vignettes and gender, age group, mother education levels, and father education levels (p<0,005). In addition, a statistically significant relationship was found between students' correct recognition of vignettes and gender. While the most frequent reasons that may prevent students from getting help were the options of " Thinking that nothing can help ", "Too embarrassed / shy", "Concern that the person might feel negatively about you " and "The cost of seeing the person"; the most frequent reasons for teachers were " The cost of seeing the person", " Concern about the side effects of treatment ", "It is too hard to get an appointment " and " Concern that the person might feel negatively about you". According to the BMI subscales, Students' average score of was 21,6±9,8 for "poor social and interpersonal skills and incurability", 19,9±6,9 for "dangerousness", 1,5±2,3 for "shame" and 42,9±16,2 for total scale and the teachers' average scores were 23,6±10,1, 21,3±6,6, 1,2±1,7 and 46,2±16,6 in the same order. The findings show us that studies are needed to encourage help seeking behavior and to increase the knowledge of mental illnesses towards both young people and their teachers. In addition, it is important to increase the accessibility of mental health services and to reduce stigma towards mental illnesses. For this purpose, comprehensive studies should be planned to improve mental health.