Abstract

LOUREIRO, Luís; PEDREIRO, Ana; CORREIA, Susana  and  MENDES, Aida. Reconhecimento da Depressão e Crenças sobre Procura de Ajuda em Jovens Portugueses. Revista Portuguesa de Enfermagem de Saúde Mental [online]. 2012, n.7, pp.13-17. ISSN 1647-2160.

Although the onset of mental disorders often occur during adolescence and youth, many teenagers and youths do not seek help, having the low mental health literacy influence over the early recognition of the disorder and the help-seeking behaviors. In Portugal, there were no studies that evaluate mental health literacy of teenagers and youths. In the scope of the project "Mental Health Education and Sensibilization: A School-based Intervention Program for Adolescents and Young" (PTDC/ CPE-CED/112546/2009) a questionnaire is being applied with the aim of evaluate the mental health literacy of teenagers and youths. The QuALiSMental is the translated and adapted version of the Survey of Mental Health Literacy in Young People - Interview Version (Jorm, 1997; 2000) and has three vignettes describing a fictitious person with symptoms of depression, schizophrenia and abuse of substances (alcohol), respectively. The objective of this article is to characterize, starting from the results of QuALiSMental, the ability of the Portuguese youths living in the center of Portugal and that finished the 12o year in 2011 identify depression after reading a vignette as well as their beliefs about the help seeking for this situation. The data were collected from a cluster sample and this selection, although randomized, considerate the geographical and urban, semi urban and rural representativeness. It was verified that 32% of the sample identified accurately depression and that the intention of help seeking is 66, 3%. The limitations we have identified in mental health literacy of adolescents and youths can explain the non-recognition of the mental disturb and delays in help-seeking, which leads to longer treatments. Actions of education and awareness of mental health with adolescents and youths are needed, preferably school-based.

Keywords : Literacy; Mental Health; Teenagers and Youth.

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