Nur Faizah, Indriati Paskarini, Sri Rahayu

Mental Health Literacy and Mental Help-Seeking Intention among Female Healthcare Workers: A Cross-Sectional Study

Introduction

Mental health literacy and mental help-seeking intention among female healthcare workers: a cross-sectional study. Study explores mental health literacy and help-seeking in female healthcare workers. Reveals a strong positive correlation, showing MHL predicts their intention to seek professional mental health support.

Abstract

Mental health literacy is regarded as a significant factor influencing an individual's intention to seek professional psychological help when confronted with mental health issues. The elevated psychosocial risks inherent to the profession of healthcare work render these individuals particularly susceptible to mental health issues, with a higher prevalence observed among females. This study aims to assess the relationship between mental health literacy and mental help-seeking intention among female healthcare workers, and to explore potential associations between sociodemographic characteristics and these variables. Methods: A total of 140 female healthcare workers were surveyed. The data collection instrument included socio-demographic characteristics, Mental Health Literacy (MHL), and Mental Help-Seeking Intention Scale (MHSIS) questionnaire. Data were analyzed using Kruskal-Wallis, Pearson correlation, simple and multiple linear regression. The results showed that mental health literacy showed a significant positive correlation with mental help-seeking intention (r = 0.395, p < 0.001). Simple linear regression indicated MHL significantly predicted help-seeking intention (β = 0.395, p < 0.001). Multiple linear regression controlling for age, tenure, and marital status confirmed MHL remained a significant predictor (β = 0.375, p < 0.001). However, Kruskal-Wallis tests found no significant differences in variables by socio-demographic factors (p > 0.05). The findings highlight the importance of mental health literacy in influencing an individual’s intention to seek professional help. Although socio-demographic factors showed no significant effect, mental health literacy remains a key factor in addressing mental health issues among female healthcare workers.

Review

The study "Mental Health Literacy and Mental Help-Seeking Intention among Female Healthcare Workers: A Cross-Sectional Study" addresses a critically important topic, given the significant psychosocial risks and elevated mental health challenges faced by healthcare professionals, particularly females. The authors clearly articulate their aim to investigate the relationship between mental health literacy (MHL) and mental help-seeking intention (MHSI) within this vulnerable population. The findings provide robust evidence, demonstrating a significant positive correlation and predictive power of MHL on MHSI, which is a valuable contribution to understanding facilitators of professional psychological support. This focused approach on female healthcare workers is commendable, providing insights directly relevant to targeted interventions. While the study offers valuable insights, a few methodological aspects warrant consideration. The cross-sectional design, while suitable for identifying correlations, inherently limits the ability to infer causation between MHL and MHSI. Future longitudinal studies would be beneficial to establish the directionality of this relationship. Additionally, the sample size of 140, while adequate for initial explorations, might limit the generalizability of the findings to the broader population of female healthcare workers, especially given the lack of significant differences observed across sociodemographic factors. The reliance on self-report measures for MHL and MHSI also introduces the potential for social desirability bias, a common challenge in studies exploring sensitive topics like mental health. Despite these minor limitations, the study's primary conclusion — that mental health literacy is a significant predictor of mental help-seeking intention — holds important implications for public health and occupational mental health initiatives. The robust statistical findings, including the persistence of MHL as a predictor in multiple regression, underscore its critical role. The absence of significant sociodemographic differences is an fascinating finding that could prompt further investigation, perhaps through qualitative methods, to understand the nuanced experiences within this group. Moving forward, this research provides a strong foundation for developing and implementing targeted MHL interventions within healthcare settings, aiming to enhance help-seeking behaviors and ultimately improve the mental well-being of female healthcare workers.

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