ISSN (Online): 1694-4674
Annals of Medicine and Medical Sciences Annals of Medicine and Medical Sciences
Submit Manuscript
  1. Home
  2. Volume 04 (2025), Version 8
  3. An Epidemiological Investigation into Mental Health Literacy and Preve…
Original Article Open Access

An Epidemiological Investigation into Mental Health Literacy and Preventive Practices Among Undergraduate Students at Rivers State University, Port Harcourt, Nigeria

, , , ,
* Correspondence: [email protected]
Annals of Medicine and Medical Sciences Volume 04 (2025), Version 8 August 1, 2025 pp. 755 - 763
56 16
Download PDF
PDF XML
Abstract

Objective: To assess mental health knowledge, promotional practices, and associated factors among undergraduate students at Rivers State University, Port Harcourt. Design: A cross-sectional clinical epidemiological study. Subjects/Patients: 371 undergraduates from eight faculties of the university. Methods: Data were collected via an online structured questionnaire and analysed with SPSS v27. Descriptive statistics and chi-square tests were used to assess associations between sociodemographic variables, knowledge, and mental health practices. A p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Mean age was 21.1 ± 2.4 years; 64.4% were females. Approximately 49.9% had fair knowledge of mental health, 34.8% had good knowledge, and 15.4% had poor knowledge. 20.8% were aware of mental health support services, and 79.2% were unaware of support services. While 63.6% showed moderate engagement in mental health-promoting behaviours, only 25.9% had excellent mental health practices, and 10.5% had poor mental health practices. Age (χ² = 16.09, p = 0.003) and year of study (χ² = 21.30, p = 0.02) were significantly associated with mental health practices. Gender (χ² = 3.03, p = 0.22) and knowledge (χ² = 7.96, p = 0.09) were not significantly associated with mental health practices. Conclusion: Despite good mental health knowledge, engagement in promotion practices remains low. Structured orientation and improved access to mental health resources are needed to enhance uptake and bridge the knowledge-practice gap.

References
  1. World Health Organization. Mental health: strengthening our response. Geneva: WHO; 2022. Available from: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/mental-health-strengthening-our-response
  2. Eisenberg D, Hunt J, Speer N. Mental health in American colleges and universities: variation across student subgroups and campuses. J Nerv Ment Dis 2013; 201:60–67. https://doi.org/10.1097/NMD.0b013e31827ab077
  3. Auerbach RP, Mortier P, Bruffaerts R, Alonso J, Benjet C, Cuijpers P et al. WHO World Mental Health Surveys International College Student Project: Prevalence and distribution of mental disorders. J Abnorm Psychol 2018; 127:623–638. https://doi.org/10.1037/abn0000362
  4. Hunt J, Eisenberg D. Mental health problems and help-seeking behavior among college students. J Adolesc Health 2010; 46:3–10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2009.08.008
  5. Kessler RC, Berglund P, Demler O, et al. Lifetime prevalence and age-of-onset distributions of DSM-IV disorders in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication. Arch Gen Psychiatry 2005; 62:593–602. https://doi.org/10.1001/archpsyc.62.6.593
  6. World Health Organization. Adolescent mental health. Geneva: WHO; 2021. Available from: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/adolescent-mental-health
  7. Reavley NJ, Jorm AF. The quality of mental disorder information websites: a review. Patient Educ Couns 2011;85: e16–25. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pec.2010.10.015
  8. Gureje O, Lasebikan VO, Ephraim-Oluwanuga O, Benjamin OO. Lola K. Community study of knowledge of and attitude to mental illness in Nigeria. Br J Psychiatry 2005; 186:436–441. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.186.5.436
  9. Jack-Ide IO, Uys LR, Middleton LE. A comparative study of mental health services in two African countries: South Africa and Nigeria. Int J Nurs Midwifery 2012; 4:50–57.
  10. Obindo JT, Abdulmalik J, Nwefoh E. Mental health legislation and involuntary admission in Nigeria: A critical appraisal. BJPsych Int 2020; 17:33–36. https://doi.org/10.1192/bji.2019.22
  11. Taiwo AO, Ladapo HT. Attitudes toward mental illness among university students in southwestern Nigeria. Int J Soc Psychiatry 2020; 66:533–540. https://doi.org/10.1177/0020764019886328
  12. Ogunlesi AO. Psychiatry in Nigeria: Past, present and future. Int Psychiatry 2004;13–14.
  13. Kabir M, Iliyasu Z, Abubakar IS, Aliyu MH. Perception and beliefs about mental illness among adults in Karfi village, northern Nigeria. BMC Int Health Hum Rights 2004; 4:3. https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-698X-4-3
  14. Jorm AF. Mental health literacy. Public knowledge and beliefs about mental disorders. Br J Psychiatry 2000; 177:396–401. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.177.5.396
  15. Furnham A, Swami V. Mental health literacy: A review of what it is and why it matters. Int Perspect Psychol 2018;7: 240–257. https://doi.org/10.1037/ipp0000094
  16. Federal Republic of Nigeria. National Mental Health Act, 2021. Official Gazette; 2021.
  17. UNESCO. Mental health and well-being in higher education: A holistic approach. Paris: UNESCO; 2021.
  18. Patel V, Flisher AJ, Hetrick S, McGorry P. Mental health of young people: a global public-health challenge. Lancet 2007; 369:1302–1313. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(07)60368-7
  19. Laidlaw TM, McLellan TM, Ozakinci G. Understanding undergraduate students' mental health: A qualitative perspective. High Educ 2016; 72:641–655. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-015-9965-3
  20. Rickwood DJ, Deane FP, Wilson CJ, Ciarrochi J. Young people’s help-seeking for mental health problems. Aust e-J Adv Ment Health 2005; 4:218–251. https://doi.org/10.5172/jamh.4.3.218
  21. Gulliver A, Griffiths KM, Christensen H. Perceived barriers and facilitators to mental health help-seeking in young people. BMC Psychiatry 2010; 10:113. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-244X-10-113
  22. Oladipo SE, Balogun SK, Dada MU. Mental health literacy and students’ mental health help-seeking behaviour in Nigerian universities. Eur Sci J 2018; 14:130–147. https://doi.org/10.19044/esj.2018.v14n20p130
  23. Ojagbemi A, Gureje O. The interface between mental health literacy and stigma in Nigeria. J Ment Health 2019; 28:341–347. https://doi.org/10.1080/09638237.2018.1521936
  24. Amoran OE. Mental health and self-reported quality of life among university students in Nigeria. Int J Psychiatry Med 2012;43 :231–248. https://doi.org/10.2190/PM.43.3.c
  25. Olayinka O, Olayemi O. Effect of peer education on mental health awareness among undergraduates in Nigeria. Afr Health Sci 2020; 20:132–140. https://doi.org/10.4314/ahs.v20i1.17
  26. Bello R, Yusuff FD. Mental health service utilization among Nigerian students. J Ment Health Policy Econ 2019; 22:3–10.
  27. Udam T, Salibi G, Tzenios N. Awareness and practice of mental health promotion among students at the University of Calabar, Nigeria. Special Journal of the Medical Academy and Other Life Sciences. 2024;2(9):93. https://doi.org/10.58676/sjmas.v2i9.93 (accessed 8th December 2024).
  28. Ibrahim AK, Kelly SJ, Adams CE, Glazebrook C. A systematic review of studies of depression prevalence in university students. J Psychiatr Res 2013; 47:391–400. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2012.11.015
  29. Adewuya AO, Ola BA, Aloba OO, Mapayi BM, Oginni OO. Depression amongst Nigerian university students. Prevalence and socio-demographic correlates. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 2006; 41:674–8. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-006-0068-9
  30. Omigbodun O. Mental health of adolescents in developing countries: Challenges and solutions. World Psychiatry 2008;7 :53–54.
  31. Okeke N, Eze M, Anosike U. Gender differences in mental health literacy among Nigerian university students. Int J Adolesc Med Health 2021;33 :1–7. https://doi.org/10.1515/ijamh-2020-0196
  32. Zhang Y, Chen Z, Zhang H. Academic stress, mental health, and related factors among Chinese college students: A longitudinal study. Front Psychol 2024; 15:1220423. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1220423
  33. Adewuya AO, Ologun YA. Factors associated with mental illness stigma among Nigerian university students. Int J Soc Psychiatry 2006; 52:439–449. https://doi.org/10.1177/0020764006065770
  34. Gulliver A, Griffiths KM, Christensen H. Barriers and facilitators to mental health help-seeking for young elite athletes: A qualitative study. BMC Psychiatry 2012; 12:157. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-244X-12-157
  35. World Health Organization. Mental health action plan 2013–2020. Geneva: WHO; 2013.
  36. Odukoya O, Oyeyemi AS, Adejumo OA. Mental health services in Nigerian tertiary institutions: an assessment of student utilization. J Ment Health 2022; 31:170–176. https://doi.org/10.1080/09638237.2021.1875414
  37. Nutbeam D. Health literacy as a public health goal: A challenge for contemporary health education and communication strategies into the 21st century. Health Promot Int 2000; 15:259–267. https://doi.org/10.1093/heapro/15.3.259
  38. Lauber C, Nordt C, Falcato L, Rössler W. Lay beliefs about treatments for people with mental illness and their implications for services. Acta Psychiatr Scand 2001;104: 396–402. https://doi.org/10.1034/j.1600-0447.2001.00263.x
  39. University of Cape Town. UCT Student Mental Health Policy. Cape Town: UCT; 2021.
  40. World Health Organization. Promoting mental health: concepts, emerging evidence, practice. Geneva: WHO; 2005.
  41. UNESCO. Guidelines on the Promotion of Mental Health and Well-being in Higher Education Institutions. Paris: UNESCO; 2020.
Author Resources