Assessment of Mental Health Literacy among Non-Medical Undergraduate Students of Makerere University, Uganda

Assessment of Mental Health Literacy among Non-Medical Undergraduate Students of Makerere University, Uganda | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Assessment of Mental Health Literacy among Non-Medical Undergraduate Students of Makerere University, Uganda Gerald Muzungu, Byron Kawooya, Diana Nassuuna Nakatudde, Rajab Kalidi, and 1 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8562107/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted 13 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Background Mental disorders often begin during adolescence or young adulthood, with 75% of cases developing between the ages of 17 and 24. This age range coincides with the period when many individuals pursue higher education. Assessing mental health literacy among this population is critical as it influences the utilization of evidence-based mental health care. This study assessed mental health literacy among non-medical undergraduate students of Makerere University. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted on a random sample of 365 non-medical students of Makerere University using a semi-structured questionnaire adapted from mental health literacy scale. Descriptive statistics and ordinal logistic regression were used to analyze the data. Bloom’s cutoffs were used to categorize the literacy levels. Results Majority of the respondents, 282 (77.3%) had moderate knowledge on mental health. Only 138 (37.8%) had positive perceptions on mental health and few, 50 (13.7%) had positive attitudes towards people with mental health disorder. The overall mental health literacy was high in only 45 (12.3%) students and was significantly associated with being a female (aOR = 0.422, P = 0.014) and having a history of a mental disorder (aOR = 2.485, P = 0.012). Conclusion This study revealed that most of the non-medical university students have poor mental health-related knowledge and negative perceptions and attitudes towards people with mental health disorder. There is a need to introduce mental health course units to every academic program at the university to improve mental health literacy. Mental health mental health literacy attitudes perceptions knowledge mental disorder students Makerere University Figures Figure 1 Figure 2 INTRODUCTION The World Health Organization (WHO) defines mental health as "a condition of mental well-being that enables people to cope with life's challenges, realize their strengths, study effectively, work well, and contribute to their community” ( 1 ). Mental disorders are clinically significant disturbances in one’s cognition, emotional regulation, or behavior that manifest as abnormal thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and social interactions ( 2 ). Approximately 1 in every 8 people globally, were living with a mental disorder in 2019 ( 3 ). It’s estimated that 2.2 million individuals in Uganda suffer from mental health issues, and only 9% of these individuals have access to mental health services ( 4 ). Mental disorders often begin during adolescence or young adulthood, with 75% of cases developing between the ages of 17 and 24 ( 5 ). This age range coincides with the period when many individuals pursue higher education. For students, mental health challenges may be exacerbated by stress related to academic pressure, social relationships, and family expectations ( 5 ). Mental health services have been recognized to be effective at dealing with this stress but remain underutilized ( 6 ). The underutilization of mental health services has been attributed to poor levels of mental health literacy ( 7 ). Mental health literacy refers to knowledge and beliefs about mental disorders which aid their recognition, management or prevention ( 8 ). Raising mental health literacy eases the acceptance of evidence-based mental health care ( 8 ). While mental health literacy among medical students has been studied in Uganda ( 9 ), non-medical students, who make up the majority of the students, remain under-examined. This study evaluated the mental health literacy of non-medical undergraduates with the aim of informing targeted interventions and strategies to improve mental health literacy of the non-medical students in Makerere University and other similar settings. METHODS Study design and setting A cross-sectional survey was conducted among non-medical undergraduate students of Makerere university main campus. The main campus of Makerere University, the oldest public university in Uganda consists of nine colleges and two schools. Most of the undergraduate students are accommodated in the nine halls of residence, six male and three female and private hostels located near the university. The university has a student population of 27,092 with 21632 being undergraduates ( 10 ). Study participants, sample size and sampling The study population included non-medical undergraduate students of Makerere University. Using the Kish Leslie formula; n = Z²P(1 − P) / d² ( 11 ), with a P = 0.4929 prevalence of students who had positive attitudes towards people with MHD ( 9 ), Z at 95% interval corresponding to 1.96, and d = absolute error at 5%, a sample size of 385 participants was obtained. Stratified random sampling was used to select the participants. From the nine halls of residence, a female hall and two male halls were randomly selected while a private hostel from each of the three locations around the university (Kikumi kikumi, Katanga and Kikoni) were randomly selected using a paper picking method. Within each residence, 65 participants were recruited by randomly selecting floors and rooms where the participants resided. A single eligible occupant in any given room was considered for participation. In cases of multiple eligible occupants in a room, one participant was selected using a paper-picking method. Data collection The study used a self-administered semi-structured questionnaire to collect data on socio-demographic characteristics, attitudes towards people with mental disorders, knowledge, and perceptions on mental health. The questionnaire used in this study was adapted from the Mental Health Literacy Scale (MHLS) developed by O’Connor and Casey (2015), with minor modifications to suit the local context and study objectives( 12 ). Knowledge of students about mental health was measured based on 18 binary yes/no questions adapted from the mental health literacy scale (MHLS) ( 13 , 14 ), with a score of 1 for each correct answer and 0 for each wrong answer. Bloom's cut-off points (Bloom, B. S. (1956)) were used to grade knowledge as good for a score of 80 to100%, moderate for a score of 60 to 79%, and poor for less than 60% score. Attitudes of students towards people with mental disorders were measured based on four Likert scale questions adapted from the MHLS with the lowest score being 4 and the highest 20. A percentage score was calculated and the overall attitude was categorized using Bloom's cut-off point as positive for scores 80 to 100%, neutral for scores 60 to 79%, and negative for scores less than 60%. Perceptions of students about mental health was measured based on nine Likert scale questions adapted from the MHLS, with the lowest score as 9 and the highest 45. The percentage score was calculated and Bloom’s cut off point was used to categorize perceptions as positive for a score of 80 to 100%, neutral for a score of 60 to 79%, and negative for scores below 60%. Mental Health Literacy; domain scores were summed to obtain an overall mental health literacy score for each participant. The total possible score ranged from a minimum ( 13 ) to a maximum value (83) determined by the number of items included. Scores were converted into percentages to facilitate interpretation. Bloom’s cut off points was used to grade literacy as high if the score was 80 to 100%, moderate for 60 to 79% score, and low for a score less than 60%. Data analysis The collected questionnaires were checked for completeness and accuracy before data entry. Data were entered, edited, backed up, and stored using Microsoft Excel and SPSS version 25. Descriptive statistics were generated using SPSS version 25 and summarized as frequencies and percentages for categorical variables and as means and standard deviation for numerical variables. The associations between socio-demographic characteristics and knowledge, attitudes, perceptions, and literacy levels of mental health were determined using ordinal logistic regression analysis. Factors with p-values < 0.2 in bivariate analysis were included in multivariate analysis. A factor was determined to be associated if it had a p-value < 0.05 at 95% confidence interval. RESULTS Socio-demographic characteristics A total 365 students of the 385 participated in the study giving a response rate of 94.8%. The average age of the respondents was 22.26 years (22.26 ± 1.634), with the age range of 17–29 years. There were almost as many males 184 (50.4%) as females 181 (49.6%) participants. Majority of the respondents were in their second year of study 138 (37.8%) and reported no history of a mental health disorder 300 (82.2%). The most reported sources of information about mental health were the internet 254 (69.6%) and friends 156 (42.7%). (Table 1 ) Table 1 Socio-demographic characteristics of respondents Variable Frequency (n = 365) Percentage Mean (SD) Age (years) 20–24 343 94.0 25–29 15 4.1 Less than 20 7 1.9 Average 22.26 (1.634) Sex Male 184 50.4 Female 181 49.6 Academic Year of study Year 1 64 17.5 Year 2 138 37.8 Year 3 109 29.9 Year 4 52 14.2 Year 5 2 .5 History of Mental disorder Yes 65 17.8 No 300 82.2 Source of mental health information Internet 254 69.6 Friends 156 42.7 Family 91 24.9 Professionals 106 29.0 Books 99 27.1 Knowledge, perceptions and attitudes about mental health Majority of the respondents 282 (77.3%) had moderate knowledge and fewer, 26 (7.1%) had good knowledge on mental health. Most of the participants were either neutral 183 (50.1%) or had positive 138 (37.8%) perceptions on mental health. Majority of respondents had negative attitudes towards people with mental health disorders 198 (54.2%) and only 50 (13.7%) had positive attitudes. (Table 2) Majority (70.1%) of the respondents had good knowledge about the management and prevention of mental health conditions as well as effects and symptoms of mental health conditions (72.6%). However, 71.2% had poor knowledge about the causes and risk factors of mental illness. (Fig. 1) In response to questions on perceptions about mental health, majority of the respondents strongly disagreed with the notion of avoiding people with a mental disorder 193 (52.9%) and that seeing a mental health professional meant that one is not strong enough to manage their own difficulties 185 (50.7%). Most of them disagreed with the notion of not seeking help from a mental health professional if they had a mental health disorder 183 (50.1%) and that of ineffectiveness of treatment for mental disorders 143 (39.2%). (Table 3) Majority of the respondents were definitely unwilling to employ someone with mental disorder 128 (35.1%) and to live with someone with a mental disorder in the same family 126 (34.5%). Only 142 (38.9%) and 104 (28.5%) were willing to make friends with someone with a mental disorder and to move next door to someone with a mental disorder respectively. (Table 4) Table 2 Knowledge, perceptions and attitudes about mental health Variable Frequency (n = 365) Percentage Mean (SD) Knowledge Good (≥ 80%) 26 7.1 Moderate (60–79%) 282 77.3 Poor (< 60%) 57 15.6 Average 67.8 (9.6) Perceptions Positive (≥ 80%) 138 37.8 Neutral (60–79%) 183 50.1 Negative (< 60%) 44 12.1 Average 74.1 (12.96) Attitudes Positive (≥ 80%) 50 13.7 Neutral (60–79%) 117 32.1 Negative (< 60%) 198 54.2 Average Table 3 : Participants’ responses to questions on perceptions about mental health Variable Frequency (Percentage) Strongly Disagree Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly agree People with a mental disorder could snap out if they wanted 75 (20.5) 77 (21.1) 52 (14.2) 110 (30.1) 48 (13.2) A mental disorder is a sign of personal weakness 123 (33.7) 118 (32.3) 38 (10.4) 58 (15.9) 26 (7.1) A mental disorder is not a real medical illness 130 (35.6) 95 (26.0) 42 (11.5) 66 (18.1) 29 (7.9) People with mental disorders are dangerous 40 (11.0) 74 (20.3) 74 (20.3) 124 (34) 51 (14) It is best to avoid people with a mental disorder 193 (52.9) 106 (29) 24 (6.6) 25 (6.8) 13 (3.6) If I had a mental disorder, I would not tell anyone 150 (41.1) 98 (26.8) 63 (17.3) 36 (9.9) 13 (3.6) Seeing a mental health professional means you are not strong enough to manage your own difficulties 185 (50.7) 91 (24.9) 26 (7.1) 39 (10.7) 22 (6.0) If I had a mental disorder, I would not seek help from a mental health professional 183 (50.1) 89 (24.4) 31 (8.5) 34 (9.3) 25 (6.8) I believe treatment for a mental disorder provided by a mental health professional, would not be effective 143 (39.2) 121 (33.2) 33 (9) 42 (11.5) 23 (6.3) Table 4 : Attitudes towards people with mental disorders Variable Frequency (Percentage) Definitely unwilling Probably unwilling Neutral Probably willing Definitely willing Willingness to; Move next door to someone with a mental disorder 45 (12.3) 102 (27.9) 59 (16.2) 104 (28.5) 54 (14.8) Make friends with someone with a mental disorder 30 (8.2) 63 (17.3) 61 (16.7) 142 (38.9) 67 (18.4) Have someone with a mental disorder marry into your family 126 (34.5) 109 (29.9) 75 (20.5) 43 (11.8) 11 (3) Employ someone if they had a mental disorder 128 (35.1) 94 (25.8) 58 (15.9) 67 (18.4) 17 (4.7) Overall mental health literacy of respondents The average mental health literacy score was 68.09% (SD 9.4), the minimum was 24.1% and the maximum was 90.4%. Majority of the respondents had a moderate mental health literacy 264 (72.3%) and only 45 (12.3%) had high mental health literacy. (Fig. 2 ) Factors associated with knowledge, perceptions and attitudes on mental health There was no factor found to be associated with knowledge of mental health. Perceptions of mental health were significantly associated with sex of the respondents (aOR = 1.485, P = 0.044). The odds of positive perceptions of mental health were 1.485 times higher in females than in males. Respondents with a history of a mental disorder were 3 times more likely to have positive attitudes towards people with mental disorders (aOR = 2.882, P-Value 0.002). (Table 5 ) Table 5 Factors associated with perceptions of mental health and attitudes towards people with mental disorders Variable aOR 95% CI P-Value Perceptions of mental health Age (years) 20–25 years 2.01 0.546–7.403 0.294 > 25 years Ref Sex Female 1.485 0.437–1.038 0.044 Male Ref Source of mental health information Internet Yes 1.351 0.841–2.171 0.213 No Ref Attitudes towards mental health History of Mental disorder Yes 2.882 1.484–5.597 0.002 No Ref Friends Yes 1.557 0.848–2.858 0.153 No Ref Factors associated with mental health literacy among respondents. The odds ratio for high Mental health literacy among respondents was lower in males than females (aOR = 0.422, P = 0.014) and was two ( 2 ) times higher in respondents with history of a Mental disorder (aOR = 2.485, P = 0.012). (Table 6 ) Table 6 Factors associated with good mental health literacy among respondents. Variable cOR 95% CI P-Value Sex Male 0.422 0.213–0.837 0.014 Female Ref Academic Year of study Year 1,2 0.562 0.29–1.087 0.087 Year 3, 4 &5 Ref History of Mental disorder Yes 2.485 1.225–5.044 0.012 No Ref Source of mental health information Friends Yes 1.46 0.765–2.786 0.252 No Ref DISCUSSION The findings of the current study provide insight into the levels of mental health literacy among undergraduate university students. Mental health literacy is widely recognized as a significant contributing factor in alleviating mental health problems and improving individual mental well-being ( 15 ). Among young adults, adequate mental health literacy is particularly important for the early identification of psychological problems and timely intervention ( 16 ). Previous studies have demonstrated that increased mental health literacy is associated with reduced stigma toward individuals with mental illness, greater willingness to disclose mental health problems, clearer recognition of symptoms, more positive attitudes toward seeking professional help, and increased utilization of mental health services ( 17 , 18 ). However, the findings of the present study indicate poor mental health literacy among non-medical students at Makerere University. Most students demonstrated only moderate knowledge, and a substantial proportion held negative attitudes and perceptions toward mental health. Similar findings have been reported in other university settings. Studies conducted at the University of Nigeria and at two universities in Uganda also reported poor mental health literacy among students ( 19 , 20 ). At Jazan University, although the majority of undergraduates demonstrated moderate mental health literacy, attitudes toward mental illness were mixed, prompting recommendations for targeted health education programs to improve literacy and foster positive attitudes ( 21 ). In the United Kingdom, university students were found to have lower levels of mental health literacy than previously reported, although literacy levels were positively correlated with help-seeking behavior. The authors emphasized the importance of anonymous online resources in improving mental health knowledge and support-seeking ( 22 ). Similarly, a study among Turkish university students reported high levels of psychological distress alongside low mental health literacy, with female students and those with a personal history of mental illness demonstrating higher literacy levels. The authors highlighted early identification as a critical factor in enabling effective intervention ( 23 ). Collectively, these findings suggest that poor mental health literacy may contribute to increased stigma ( 21 ), reduced intentions to seek help ( 22 ), poor symptom recognition, delayed or absent treatment, increased psychological distress, and persistent negative attitudes toward mental health services ( 24 ). The findings further highlight the urgent need for culturally sensitive mental health education and intervention strategies to improve mental health literacy among university students ( 19 , 25 ). Evidence suggests that digital interventions, including web-based platforms and mobile applications, are effective in enhancing mental health knowledge and increasing intentions to seek help ( 26 ). Additionally, workshops facilitated by mental health professionals and contact-based interventions involving individuals with lived experience of mental illness have been shown to produce positive improvements in both mental health literacy and attitudes toward mental illness ( 27 , 28 ). Peer-led initiatives and mass media interventions have also demonstrated effectiveness in engaging students, normalizing conversations around mental health, and promoting early intervention ( 29 , 30 ). In the present study, female sex and a history of mental health conditions were significant predictors of higher mental health literacy. Consistent with previous research, female students tend to demonstrate greater mental health knowledge and more positive attitudes toward mental health issues compared to male students ( 31 ). The association between a personal history of mental illness and higher mental health literacy suggests that lived experience may enhance awareness, understanding, and recognition of mental health conditions. Gender differences in emotional awareness, socialization, and help-seeking behavior may also contribute to observed disparities in mental health literacy, with women generally being more open to discussing mental health concerns and accessing information. These findings underscore the need for targeted interventions that address gender-specific barriers, particularly among male students who may be less likely to engage with mental health resources. Attitudes toward individuals with mental disorders were notably poor in this study, with more than half of the respondents demonstrating negative attitudes. This suggests reluctance to offer support and a potential tendency toward discrimination against individuals with mental health conditions. Evidence indicates that individuals with personal experience of mental illness tend to exhibit more positive attitudes, reduced stigma, and better understanding of mental health issues ( 22 ). Similarly, indirect personal exposure, such as knowing someone with a mental illness, has been associated with higher mental health literacy, supporting the role of personal connections in enhancing awareness and understanding ( 32 ). These findings align with those of the current study and emphasize the importance of interventions aimed at challenging and reversing stigmatizing beliefs. Introducing mental health course units across academic programs, implementing university-wide awareness campaigns, and conducting further evaluations of anti-stigma educational interventions may help improve mental health literacy and attitudes among students. Evidence from curriculum-based interventions demonstrates that integrated mental health education can lead to sustained improvements in attitudes and reductions in stigma over time ( 33 ). Perceptions of mental health were also suboptimal in the present study, with only 37.8% of participants demonstrating positive perceptions. Perception influences how individuals interpret mental health information and respond to symptoms, stigma, and help-seeking opportunities. Negative or inaccurate perceptions may therefore hinder timely recognition and appropriate responses to mental health problems. These findings are consistent with existing literature indicating that low mental health literacy is often associated with unfavorable perceptions, reinforcing barriers to disclosure and treatment ( 28 , 34 ). Improving perceptions through targeted, culturally appropriate educational interventions is essential for fostering a supportive and informed environment around mental health within university settings. Study strengths and limitations By focusing on non-medical students at Makerere University, the study fills a gap in the literature, specifically addressing a group that has received less attention in previous research on mental health literacy. The study employs clear definitions and standardized measurement tools, such as Bloom's cut-off points for categorizing knowledge and attitudes, which enhances the consistency and validity of the results. The study was conducted at Makerere University in Uganda, and findings may not be generalizable to non-medical students in other regions or countries with different cultural or educational contexts. Cultural factors can influence mental health perceptions and literacy. However, the findings may be generalized to other students since Makerere University is a national public university that admits students from all parts of the country with different socio-economic and cultural backgrounds. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS This study revealed a critical gap in mental health literacy among non-medical students at Makerere University. To address this, there is an urgent need for interventions such as the inclusion of mental health courses in non-medical curricula. Raising mental health literacy could improve help-seeking behavior and reduce the stigma surrounding mental health disorders. Future Research Future research should focus on assessing the effectiveness of mental health literacy interventions among non-medical students. Longitudinal studies could also help to determine changes in attitudes and knowledge over time, especially after targeted interventions are implemented. Abbreviations MakSHSREC Makerere School of Health Sciences Research and Ethics Committee MHLS Mental Health Literacy Scale SHSIRB School of Health Sciences Institutional Review Board SD Standard deviation WHO World Health Organization Declarations Ethics Statement: Ethical approval for this study was obtained from the Makerere University School of Health Sciences Institutional Review Board (MakSHSIRB REC APPROVAL NUMBER: MAKSHSREC-2023-469). All participants provided informed consent before completing the survey, and confidentiality of the responses was ensured. All procedures performed in this study were conducted in accordance with the ethical standards of the responsible institutional review board and the Declaration of Helsinki. Consent for publication : Not applicable Data Availability Statement: The data supporting the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request. Funding: This study was self-funded for academic purposes. Author’s contributions : Conceptualization, G.M, D.N.N, H.K, R.K and B.K; Data curation, G.M and D.N.N; Formal analysis, G.M, H.K and R.K; Investigation, G.M, D.N.N and B.K; Methodology, G.M, D.N.N and R.K ; Project administration, G.M, H.K and R.K; Resources, G.M, B.K and D.N.N; Supervision, H.K and R.K; Validation, G.M, R.K and H.K; Writing – original draft, G.M, D.N.N and B.K; Writing – review and editing, G.M, H.K and R.K Conflict of Interest: The authors declare no conflicts of interest. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-8562107","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":580296695,"identity":"585182b3-0696-42f9-9951-27fcd38d5e89","order_by":0,"name":"Gerald Muzungu","email":"data:image/png;base64,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","orcid":"","institution":"Makerere University","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Gerald","middleName":"","lastName":"Muzungu","suffix":""},{"id":580296696,"identity":"8497ff5a-d3c3-459c-97f8-6bb1138f890a","order_by":1,"name":"Byron Kawooya","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Makerere University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Byron","middleName":"","lastName":"Kawooya","suffix":""},{"id":580296698,"identity":"7a6e930f-d363-49d8-a9cf-e18c5e6dd22b","order_by":2,"name":"Diana Nassuuna Nakatudde","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Makerere University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Diana","middleName":"Nassuuna","lastName":"Nakatudde","suffix":""},{"id":580296699,"identity":"2c86c122-1048-4977-84d6-845f7bf60b18","order_by":3,"name":"Rajab Kalidi","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Makerere University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Rajab","middleName":"","lastName":"Kalidi","suffix":""},{"id":580296708,"identity":"5e217b1f-6414-407e-a9e5-c9e0792e2a82","order_by":4,"name":"Henry Kyeyune","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Makerere University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Henry","middleName":"","lastName":"Kyeyune","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2026-01-09 14:39:22","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8562107/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8562107/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":101274144,"identity":"5b72cfe5-34fd-41a0-9129-616f817be288","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-01-28 03:09:37","extension":"png","order_by":1,"title":"Figure 1","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":43459,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eKnowledge of Causes, Risk factors, Prevention, Management, Symptoms and Effects of mental health conditions.\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"11.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8562107/v1/0a941526d27f34b49c4cc1a2.png"},{"id":101274259,"identity":"4ae5d5c3-2578-4198-8a19-36824885c49d","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-01-28 03:09:51","extension":"png","order_by":2,"title":"Figure 2","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":41909,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eMental health literacy of respondents\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"1.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8562107/v1/f69033081b7e01236c27a095.png"},{"id":101274412,"identity":"f880528a-272b-4e2d-ba1a-07daf40664ad","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-01-28 03:10:22","extension":"pdf","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":1062668,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"manuscript.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8562107/v1/1679815f-d871-4a34-809d-f29761e2647e.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Assessment of Mental Health Literacy among Non-Medical Undergraduate Students of Makerere University, Uganda","fulltext":[{"header":"INTRODUCTION","content":"\u003cp\u003eThe World Health Organization (WHO) defines mental health as \"a condition of mental well-being that enables people to cope with life's challenges, realize their strengths, study effectively, work well, and contribute to their community\u0026rdquo; (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR1\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e). Mental disorders are clinically significant disturbances in one\u0026rsquo;s cognition, emotional regulation, or behavior that manifest as abnormal thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and social interactions (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e). Approximately 1 in every 8 people globally, were living with a mental disorder in 2019 (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR3\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e). It\u0026rsquo;s estimated that 2.2\u0026nbsp;million individuals in Uganda suffer from mental health issues, and only 9% of these individuals have access to mental health services (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eMental disorders often begin during adolescence or young adulthood, with 75% of cases developing between the ages of 17 and 24 (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR5\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e). This age range coincides with the period when many individuals pursue higher education. For students, mental health challenges may be exacerbated by stress related to academic pressure, social relationships, and family expectations (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR5\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e). Mental health services have been recognized to be effective at dealing with this stress but remain underutilized (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e). The underutilization of mental health services has been attributed to poor levels of mental health literacy (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR7\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e7\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eMental health literacy refers to knowledge and beliefs about mental disorders which aid their recognition, management or prevention (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR8\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e8\u003c/span\u003e). Raising mental health literacy eases the acceptance of evidence-based mental health care (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR8\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e8\u003c/span\u003e). While mental health literacy among medical students has been studied in Uganda (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR9\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e9\u003c/span\u003e), non-medical students, who make up the majority of the students, remain under-examined. This study evaluated the mental health literacy of non-medical undergraduates with the aim of informing targeted interventions and strategies to improve mental health literacy of the non-medical students in Makerere University and other similar settings.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"METHODS","content":"\u003cdiv id=\"Sec3\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eStudy design and setting\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eA cross-sectional survey was conducted among non-medical undergraduate students of Makerere university main campus. The main campus of Makerere University, the oldest public university in Uganda consists of nine colleges and two schools. Most of the undergraduate students are accommodated in the nine halls of residence, six male and three female and private hostels located near the university. The university has a student population of 27,092 with 21632 being undergraduates (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR10\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e10\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eStudy participants, sample size and sampling\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe study population included non-medical undergraduate students of Makerere University. Using the Kish Leslie formula; n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;Z\u0026sup2;P(1\u0026thinsp;\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;P) / d\u0026sup2; (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR11\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e11\u003c/span\u003e), with a P\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.4929 prevalence of students who had positive attitudes towards people with MHD (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR9\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e9\u003c/span\u003e), Z at 95% interval corresponding to 1.96, and d\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;absolute error at 5%, a sample size of 385 participants was obtained. Stratified random sampling was used to select the participants. From the nine halls of residence, a female hall and two male halls were randomly selected while a private hostel from each of the three locations around the university (Kikumi kikumi, Katanga and Kikoni) were randomly selected using a paper picking method. Within each residence, 65 participants were recruited by randomly selecting floors and rooms where the participants resided. A single eligible occupant in any given room was considered for participation. In cases of multiple eligible occupants in a room, one participant was selected using a paper-picking method.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eData collection\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe study used a self-administered semi-structured questionnaire to collect data on socio-demographic characteristics, attitudes towards people with mental disorders, knowledge, and perceptions on mental health. The questionnaire used in this study was adapted from the Mental Health Literacy Scale (MHLS) developed by O\u0026rsquo;Connor and Casey (2015), with minor modifications to suit the local context and study objectives(\u003cspan citationid=\"CR12\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e12\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cem\u003eKnowledge\u003c/em\u003e of students about mental health was measured based on 18 binary yes/no questions adapted from the mental health literacy scale (MHLS) (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR13\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e13\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR14\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e14\u003c/span\u003e), with a score of 1 for each correct answer and 0 for each wrong answer. Bloom's cut-off points (Bloom, B. S. (1956)) were used to grade knowledge as good for a score of 80 to100%, moderate for a score of 60 to 79%, and poor for less than 60% score.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cem\u003eAttitudes\u003c/em\u003e of students towards people with mental disorders were measured based on four Likert scale questions adapted from the MHLS with the lowest score being 4 and the highest 20. A percentage score was calculated and the overall attitude was categorized using Bloom's cut-off point as positive for scores 80 to 100%, neutral for scores 60 to 79%, and negative for scores less than 60%.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cem\u003ePerceptions\u003c/em\u003e of students about mental health was measured based on nine Likert scale questions adapted from the MHLS, with the lowest score as 9 and the highest 45. The percentage score was calculated and Bloom\u0026rsquo;s cut off point was used to categorize perceptions as positive for a score of 80 to 100%, neutral for a score of 60 to 79%, and negative for scores below 60%.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cem\u003eMental Health Literacy;\u003c/em\u003e domain scores were summed to obtain an overall mental health literacy score for each participant. The total possible score ranged from a minimum (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR13\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e13\u003c/span\u003e) to a maximum value (83) determined by the number of items included. Scores were converted into percentages to facilitate interpretation. Bloom\u0026rsquo;s cut off points was used to grade literacy as high if the score was 80 to 100%, moderate for 60 to 79% score, and low for a score less than 60%.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec6\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eData analysis\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe collected questionnaires were checked for completeness and accuracy before data entry. Data were entered, edited, backed up, and stored using Microsoft Excel and SPSS version 25. Descriptive statistics were generated using SPSS version 25 and summarized as frequencies and percentages for categorical variables and as means and standard deviation for numerical variables. The associations between socio-demographic characteristics and knowledge, attitudes, perceptions, and literacy levels of mental health were determined using ordinal logistic regression analysis. Factors with p-values\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.2 in bivariate analysis were included in multivariate analysis. A factor was determined to be associated if it had a p-value\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.05 at 95% confidence interval.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"RESULTS","content":"\u003cdiv id=\"Sec8\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eSocio-demographic characteristics\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eA total 365 students of the 385 participated in the study giving a response rate of 94.8%. The average age of the respondents was 22.26 years (22.26\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;1.634), with the age range of 17\u0026ndash;29 years. There were almost as many males 184 (50.4%) as females 181 (49.6%) participants. Majority of the respondents were in their second year of study 138 (37.8%) and reported no history of a mental health disorder 300 (82.2%). The most reported sources of information about mental health were the internet 254 (69.6%) and friends 156 (42.7%). (Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e)\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab1\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 1\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSocio-demographic characteristics of respondents\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"5\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eVariable\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFrequency (n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;365)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePercentage\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMean (SD)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAge (years)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e20\u0026ndash;24\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e343\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e94.0\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e25\u0026ndash;29\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e15\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e4.1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eLess than 20\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e7\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.9\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAverage\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e22.26 (1.634)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSex\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMale\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e184\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e50.4\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFemale\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e181\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e49.6\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"4\" rowspan=\"5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAcademic Year of study\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eYear 1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e64\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e17.5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eYear 2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e138\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e37.8\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eYear 3\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e109\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e29.9\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eYear 4\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e52\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e14.2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eYear 5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e.5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eHistory of Mental disorder\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eYes\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e65\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e17.8\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNo\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e300\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e82.2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"4\" rowspan=\"5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSource of mental health information\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eInternet\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e254\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e69.6\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFriends\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e156\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e42.7\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFamily\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e91\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e24.9\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eProfessionals\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e106\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e29.0\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBooks\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e99\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e27.1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eKnowledge, perceptions and attitudes about mental health\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMajority of the respondents 282 (77.3%) had moderate knowledge and fewer, 26 (7.1%) had good knowledge on mental health. Most of the participants were either neutral 183 (50.1%) or had positive 138 (37.8%) perceptions on mental health. Majority of respondents had negative attitudes towards people with mental health disorders 198 (54.2%) and only 50 (13.7%) had positive attitudes. (Table 2)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMajority (70.1%) of the respondents had good knowledge about the management and prevention of mental health conditions as well as effects and symptoms of mental health conditions (72.6%). However, 71.2% had poor knowledge about the causes and risk factors of mental illness. (Fig. 1)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn response to questions on perceptions about mental health, majority of the respondents strongly disagreed with the notion of avoiding people with a mental disorder 193 (52.9%) and that seeing a mental health professional meant that one is not strong enough to manage their own difficulties 185 (50.7%). Most of them disagreed with the notion of not seeking help from a mental health professional if they had a mental health disorder 183 (50.1%) and that of ineffectiveness of treatment for mental disorders 143 (39.2%). (Table 3)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMajority of the respondents were definitely unwilling to employ someone with mental disorder 128 (35.1%) and to live with someone with a mental disorder in the same family 126 (34.5%). Only 142 (38.9%) and 104 (28.5%) were willing to make friends with someone with a mental disorder and to move next door to someone with a mental disorder respectively. (Table 4)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n \u003ctable id=\"Tab2\" border=\"1\"\u003e\n \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\n \u003cdiv\u003eTable 2\u003c/div\u003e\n \u003cdiv\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eKnowledge, perceptions and attitudes about mental health\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/div\u003e\n \u003c/caption\u003e\n \u003ccolgroup cols=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\n \u003cthead\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eVariable\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/th\u003e\n \u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e\n \u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eFrequency (n = 365)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/th\u003e\n \u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003ePercentage\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/th\u003e\n \u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eMean (SD)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/th\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/thead\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eKnowledge\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eGood (≥ 80%)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e26\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e7.1\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eModerate (60–79%)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e282\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e77.3\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003ePoor (\u0026lt; 60%)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e57\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e15.6\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eAverage\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e67.8 (9.6)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003ePerceptions\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003ePositive (≥ 80%)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e138\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e37.8\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eNeutral (60–79%)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e183\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e50.1\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eNegative (\u0026lt; 60%)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e44\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e12.1\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eAverage\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e74.1 (12.96)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eAttitudes\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003ePositive (≥ 80%)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e50\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e13.7\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eNeutral (60–79%)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e117\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e32.1\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eNegative (\u0026lt; 60%)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e198\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e54.2\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eAverage\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/tbody\u003e\n \u003c/table\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eTable\u0026nbsp;\u003c/em\u003e\u003cem\u003e3\u003c/em\u003e\u003cem\u003e: Participants’ responses to questions on perceptions about mental health\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ctable border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" width=\"774\"\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd rowspan=\"2\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eVariable\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd colspan=\"5\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrequency (Percentage)\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eStrongly Disagree\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDisagree\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNeutral\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAgree\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eStrongly agree\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003ePeople with a mental disorder could snap out if they wanted\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e75 (20.5)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e77 (21.1)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e52 (14.2)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e110 (30.1)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e48 (13.2)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;A mental disorder is a sign of personal weakness\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e123 (33.7)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e118 (32.3)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e38 (10.4)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e58 (15.9)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e26 (7.1)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eA mental disorder is not a real medical illness\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e130 (35.6)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e95 (26.0)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e42 (11.5)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e66 (18.1)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e29 (7.9)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003ePeople with mental disorders are dangerous\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e40 (11.0)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e74 (20.3)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e74 (20.3)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e124 (34)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e51 (14)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eIt is best to avoid people with a mental disorder\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e193 (52.9)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e106 (29)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e24 (6.6)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e25 (6.8)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e13 (3.6)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eIf I had a mental disorder, I would not tell anyone\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e150 (41.1)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e98 (26.8)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e63 (17.3)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e36 (9.9)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e13 (3.6)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSeeing a mental health professional means you are not strong enough to manage your own difficulties\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e185 (50.7)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e91 (24.9)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e26 (7.1)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e39 (10.7)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e22 (6.0)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eIf I had a mental disorder, I would not seek help from a mental health professional\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e183 (50.1)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e89 (24.4)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e31 (8.5)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e34 (9.3)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e25 (6.8)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eI believe treatment for a mental disorder provided by a mental health professional, would not be effective\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e143 (39.2)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e121 (33.2)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e33 (9)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e42 (11.5)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e23 (6.3)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eTable\u0026nbsp;\u003c/em\u003e\u003cem\u003e4\u003c/em\u003e\u003cem\u003e: Attitudes towards people with mental disorders\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ctable border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" width=\"750\"\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd rowspan=\"2\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eVariable\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd colspan=\"5\" valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrequency (Percentage)\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eDefinitely unwilling\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eProbably unwilling\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eNeutral\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eProbably willing\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eDefinitely willing\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eWillingness to;\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eMove next door to someone with a mental disorder\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e45 (12.3)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e102 (27.9)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e59 (16.2)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e104 (28.5)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e54 (14.8)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eMake friends with someone with a mental disorder\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e30 (8.2)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e63 (17.3)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e61 (16.7)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e142 (38.9)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e67 (18.4)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eHave someone with a mental disorder marry into your family\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e126 (34.5)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e109 (29.9)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e75 (20.5)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e43 (11.8)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e11 (3)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eEmploy someone if they had a mental disorder\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e128 (35.1)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e94 (25.8)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e58 (15.9)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e67 (18.4)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e17 (4.7)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eOverall mental health literacy of respondents\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe average mental health literacy score was 68.09% (SD 9.4), the minimum was 24.1% and the maximum was 90.4%. Majority of the respondents had a moderate mental health literacy 264 (72.3%) and only 45 (12.3%) had high mental health literacy. (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e)\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec11\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eFactors associated with knowledge, perceptions and attitudes on mental health\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThere was no factor found to be associated with knowledge of mental health. Perceptions of mental health were significantly associated with sex of the respondents (aOR\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;1.485, P\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.044). The odds of positive perceptions of mental health were 1.485 times higher in females than in males. Respondents with a history of a mental disorder were 3 times more likely to have positive attitudes towards people with mental disorders (aOR\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;2.882, P-Value 0.002). (Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab5\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e)\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab5\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 5\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFactors associated with perceptions of mental health and attitudes towards people with mental disorders\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"5\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eVariable\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eaOR\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e95% CI\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eP-Value\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePerceptions of mental health\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAge (years)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e20\u0026ndash;25 years\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.01\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.546\u0026ndash;7.403\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.294\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026gt;\u0026thinsp;25 years\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eRef\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSex\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFemale\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.485\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.437\u0026ndash;1.038\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.044\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMale\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eRef\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSource of mental health information\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eInternet\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eYes\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.351\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.841\u0026ndash;2.171\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.213\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNo\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eRef\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAttitudes towards mental health\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eHistory of Mental disorder\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eYes\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.882\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.484\u0026ndash;5.597\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.002\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNo\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eRef\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFriends\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eYes\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.557\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.848\u0026ndash;2.858\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.153\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNo\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eRef\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cb\u003eFactors associated with mental health literacy among respondents.\u003c/b\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe odds ratio for high Mental health literacy among respondents was lower in males than females (aOR\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.422, P\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.014) and was two (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e) times higher in respondents with history of a Mental disorder (aOR\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;2.485, P\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.012). (Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab6\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e)\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab6\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 6\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFactors associated with good mental health literacy among respondents.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"5\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eVariable\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ecOR\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e95% CI\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eP-Value\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSex\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMale\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.422\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.213\u0026ndash;0.837\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e0.014\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFemale\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eRef\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAcademic Year of study\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eYear 1,2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.562\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.29\u0026ndash;1.087\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.087\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eYear 3, 4 \u0026amp;5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eRef\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eHistory of Mental disorder\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eYes\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.485\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.225\u0026ndash;5.044\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e0.012\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNo\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eRef\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSource of mental health information\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFriends\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eYes\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.46\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.765\u0026ndash;2.786\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.252\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNo\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eRef\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"DISCUSSION","content":"\u003cp\u003eThe findings of the current study provide insight into the levels of mental health literacy among undergraduate university students. Mental health literacy is widely recognized as a significant contributing factor in alleviating mental health problems and improving individual mental well-being (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e15\u003c/span\u003e). Among young adults, adequate mental health literacy is particularly important for the early identification of psychological problems and timely intervention (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR16\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e16\u003c/span\u003e). Previous studies have demonstrated that increased mental health literacy is associated with reduced stigma toward individuals with mental illness, greater willingness to disclose mental health problems, clearer recognition of symptoms, more positive attitudes toward seeking professional help, and increased utilization of mental health services (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR17\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e17\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR18\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e18\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eHowever, the findings of the present study indicate poor mental health literacy among non-medical students at Makerere University. Most students demonstrated only moderate knowledge, and a substantial proportion held negative attitudes and perceptions toward mental health. Similar findings have been reported in other university settings. Studies conducted at the University of Nigeria and at two universities in Uganda also reported poor mental health literacy among students (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR19\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e19\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR20\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e20\u003c/span\u003e). At Jazan University, although the majority of undergraduates demonstrated moderate mental health literacy, attitudes toward mental illness were mixed, prompting recommendations for targeted health education programs to improve literacy and foster positive attitudes (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR21\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e21\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn the United Kingdom, university students were found to have lower levels of mental health literacy than previously reported, although literacy levels were positively correlated with help-seeking behavior. The authors emphasized the importance of anonymous online resources in improving mental health knowledge and support-seeking (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR22\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e22\u003c/span\u003e). Similarly, a study among Turkish university students reported high levels of psychological distress alongside low mental health literacy, with female students and those with a personal history of mental illness demonstrating higher literacy levels. The authors highlighted early identification as a critical factor in enabling effective intervention (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR23\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e23\u003c/span\u003e). Collectively, these findings suggest that poor mental health literacy may contribute to increased stigma (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR21\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e21\u003c/span\u003e), reduced intentions to seek help (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR22\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e22\u003c/span\u003e), poor symptom recognition, delayed or absent treatment, increased psychological distress, and persistent negative attitudes toward mental health services (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR24\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e24\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe findings further highlight the urgent need for culturally sensitive mental health education and intervention strategies to improve mental health literacy among university students (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR19\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e19\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR25\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e25\u003c/span\u003e). Evidence suggests that digital interventions, including web-based platforms and mobile applications, are effective in enhancing mental health knowledge and increasing intentions to seek help (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR26\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e26\u003c/span\u003e). Additionally, workshops facilitated by mental health professionals and contact-based interventions involving individuals with lived experience of mental illness have been shown to produce positive improvements in both mental health literacy and attitudes toward mental illness (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR27\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e27\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR28\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e28\u003c/span\u003e). Peer-led initiatives and mass media interventions have also demonstrated effectiveness in engaging students, normalizing conversations around mental health, and promoting early intervention (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR29\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e29\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR30\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e30\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn the present study, female sex and a history of mental health conditions were significant predictors of higher mental health literacy. Consistent with previous research, female students tend to demonstrate greater mental health knowledge and more positive attitudes toward mental health issues compared to male students (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR31\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e31\u003c/span\u003e). The association between a personal history of mental illness and higher mental health literacy suggests that lived experience may enhance awareness, understanding, and recognition of mental health conditions. Gender differences in emotional awareness, socialization, and help-seeking behavior may also contribute to observed disparities in mental health literacy, with women generally being more open to discussing mental health concerns and accessing information. These findings underscore the need for targeted interventions that address gender-specific barriers, particularly among male students who may be less likely to engage with mental health resources.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAttitudes toward individuals with mental disorders were notably poor in this study, with more than half of the respondents demonstrating negative attitudes. This suggests reluctance to offer support and a potential tendency toward discrimination against individuals with mental health conditions. Evidence indicates that individuals with personal experience of mental illness tend to exhibit more positive attitudes, reduced stigma, and better understanding of mental health issues (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR22\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e22\u003c/span\u003e). Similarly, indirect personal exposure, such as knowing someone with a mental illness, has been associated with higher mental health literacy, supporting the role of personal connections in enhancing awareness and understanding (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR32\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e32\u003c/span\u003e). These findings align with those of the current study and emphasize the importance of interventions aimed at challenging and reversing stigmatizing beliefs.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIntroducing mental health course units across academic programs, implementing university-wide awareness campaigns, and conducting further evaluations of anti-stigma educational interventions may help improve mental health literacy and attitudes among students. Evidence from curriculum-based interventions demonstrates that integrated mental health education can lead to sustained improvements in attitudes and reductions in stigma over time (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR33\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e33\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003ePerceptions of mental health were also suboptimal in the present study, with only 37.8% of participants demonstrating positive perceptions. Perception influences how individuals interpret mental health information and respond to symptoms, stigma, and help-seeking opportunities. Negative or inaccurate perceptions may therefore hinder timely recognition and appropriate responses to mental health problems. These findings are consistent with existing literature indicating that low mental health literacy is often associated with unfavorable perceptions, reinforcing barriers to disclosure and treatment (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR28\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e28\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR34\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e34\u003c/span\u003e). Improving perceptions through targeted, culturally appropriate educational interventions is essential for fostering a supportive and informed environment around mental health within university settings.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec13\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eStudy strengths and limitations\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eBy focusing on non-medical students at Makerere University, the study fills a gap in the literature, specifically addressing a group that has received less attention in previous research on mental health literacy. The study employs clear definitions and standardized measurement tools, such as Bloom's cut-off points for categorizing knowledge and attitudes, which enhances the consistency and validity of the results.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe study was conducted at Makerere University in Uganda, and findings may not be generalizable to non-medical students in other regions or countries with different cultural or educational contexts. Cultural factors can influence mental health perceptions and literacy. However, the findings may be generalized to other students since Makerere University is a national public university that admits students from all parts of the country with different socio-economic and cultural backgrounds.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e "},{"header":"CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS","content":"\u003cp\u003eThis study revealed a critical gap in mental health literacy among non-medical students at Makerere University. To address this, there is an urgent need for interventions such as the inclusion of mental health courses in non-medical curricula. Raising mental health literacy could improve help-seeking behavior and reduce the stigma surrounding mental health disorders.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eFuture Research\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eFuture research should focus on assessing the effectiveness of mental health literacy interventions among non-medical students. Longitudinal studies could also help to determine changes in attitudes and knowledge over time, especially after targeted interventions are implemented.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Abbreviations","content":"\u003cp\u003eMakSHSREC Makerere School of Health Sciences Research and Ethics Committee\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMHLS Mental Health Literacy Scale\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSHSIRB School of Health Sciences Institutional Review Board\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSD Standard deviation\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWHO World Health Organization\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Declarations","content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEthics Statement:\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003eEthical approval for this study was obtained from the Makerere University School of Health Sciences Institutional Review Board (MakSHSIRB REC APPROVAL NUMBER: MAKSHSREC-2023-469). All participants provided informed consent before completing the survey, and confidentiality of the responses was ensured. All procedures performed in this study were conducted in accordance with the ethical standards of the responsible institutional review board and the Declaration of Helsinki.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConsent for publication\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cem\u003e:\u0026nbsp;\u003c/em\u003eNot applicable\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eData Availability Statement:\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003eThe data supporting the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFunding:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003eThis study was self-funded for academic purposes.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAuthor\u0026rsquo;s contributions\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e:\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003eConceptualization, G.M, D.N.N, H.K, R.K and B.K; Data curation, G.M and D.N.N; Formal analysis, G.M, H.K and R.K; Investigation, G.M, D.N.N and B.K; Methodology, G.M, D.N.N and R.K ; Project administration, G.M, H.K and R.K; Resources, G.M, B.K and D.N.N; Supervision, H.K and R.K; Validation, G.M, R.K and H.K; Writing \u0026ndash; original draft, G.M, D.N.N and B.K; Writing \u0026ndash; review and editing, G.M, H.K and R.K\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConflict of Interest:\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003eThe authors declare no conflicts of interest.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAcknowledgements:\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003eWe would like to acknowledge the support from Makerere University\u0026rsquo;s Department of Pharmacy, as well as the participants who took part in the survey.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"References","content":"\u003col\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWHO. Mental health: Strengthening Our Response. Geneva. world health organisation. 2022.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDaniel M, Njau B, Mtuya C, Okelo E, Mushi D. Perceptions of Mental Disorders and Help-Seeking Behaviour for Mental Health Care Within the Maasai Community of Northern Tanzania: An Exploratory Qualitative Study. East Afr Health Res J. 2018;2.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWHO. Mental Health and COVID-19: Early evidence of the pandemic\u0026rsquo;s impact: Scientific brief. world health organisation. 2022.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOpio JN, Munn Z, Aromataris E. Prevalence of Mental Disorders in Uganda: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Psychiatr Q. 2022;93(1):199\u0026ndash;226.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAhorsu DK, S\u0026aacute;nchez Vida\u0026ntilde;a DI, Lipardo D, Shah PB, Cruz Gonz\u0026aacute;lez P, Shende S, et al. Effect of a peer-led intervention combining mental health promotion with coping‐strategy‐based workshops on mental health awareness, help‐seeking behavior, and wellbeing among university students in Hong Kong. Int J Mental Health Syst. 2021;15(1):6.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAldalaykeh M, M. A-HM, and, Rababah J. Predictors of mental health services help-seeking behavior among university students. Cogent Psychol. 2019;6(1):1660520.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eUddin MN, Bhar S, Islam FMA. An assessment of awareness of mental health conditions and its association with socio-demographic characteristics: a cross-sectional study in a rural district in Bangladesh. BMC Health Serv Res. 2019;19(1):562.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eJorm AF. Mental health literacy: Public knowledge and beliefs about mental disorders. Br J Psychiatry. 2000;177(5):396\u0026ndash;401.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eKihumuro RB, Kaggwa MM, Kintu TM, Nakandi RM, Muwanga DR, Muganzi DJ, et al. Knowledge, attitude and perceptions of medical students towards mental health in a university in Uganda. BMC Med Educ. 2022;22(1):730.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003efinance mo. Ministerial Policy Statement FY 2024/25 Vote: 301 Makerere University. ministry of finance uganda. 2024. Contract No.: Vote 301.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eKish L. Survey sampling. New York:: Chichester :; 1965.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eO\u0026rsquo;Connor M, Casey L. The Mental Health Literacy Scale (MHLS): A new scale-based measure of mental health literacy. Psychiatry Res. 2015;229(1):511\u0026ndash;6.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eO'Connor M, Casey L. The Mental Health Literacy Scale (MHLS): A new scale-based measure of mental health literacy. Psychiatry Res. 2015;229(1\u0026ndash;2):511\u0026ndash;6.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003estatic1.squarespace. com. Mental health literacy scale. In: MHLS, editor.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWei Y, McGrath PJ, Hayden J, Kutcher S. Mental health literacy measures evaluating knowledge, attitudes and help-seeking: a scoping review. BMC Psychiatry. 2015;15(1):291.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMetz H, MENTAL HEALTH LITERACY AND ATTITUDES TOWARD MENTAL HEALTH HELP-SEEKING. AMONG COLLEGE STUDENTS OF NON-MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONS. 2022.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eLauber C, Ajdacic-Gross V, Fritschi N, Stulz N, R\u0026ouml;ssler W. Mental health literacy in an educational elite \u0026ndash; an online survey among university students. BMC Public Health. 2005;5(1):44.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eNazari A, Garmaroudi G, Foroushani AR, Hosseinnia M. The effect of web-based educational interventions on mental health literacy, stigma and help-seeking intentions/attitudes in young people: systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Psychiatry. 2023;23(1):647.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAluh DO, Okonta MJ, Odili VU. Cross-sectional survey of mental health literacy among undergraduate students of the University of Nigeria. BMJ Open. 2019.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAmone-P'Olak K, Kakinda AI, Kibedi H, Omech B. Barriers to treatment and care for depression among the youth in Uganda: The role of mental health literacy. Front Public Health. 2023;11:1054918.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMahfouz MS, Aqeeli A, Makeen AM, Hakami RM, Najmi HH, Mobarki AT et al. Mental Health Literacy Among Undergraduate Students of a Saudi Tertiary Institution: A Cross-sectional Study. Ment Illn [Internet] 2016 2016/11//; 8(2):6806 p.].\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHill D, Sims-Schouten W, Wilson J, Gorczynski P. Examining mental health literacy, help seeking behaviours, and mental health outcomes in UK university students. J Mental Health Train Educ Pract. 2016;12.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRweyemamu LP, Mbotwa CH, Massawe JI, Mramba RP. Mental distress and associated factors among undergraduate students: evidence from a cross-sectional study at the University of Dodoma, Tanzania. Discov Ment Health. 2024;4(1):44.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePehlivan MJ, Miskovic-Wheatley J, Le A, Maloney D, Research Consortium NED, Touyz S, et al. Models of care for eating disorders: findings from a rapid review. J Eat Disord. 2022;10(1):166.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHannan SM, Wells TT. A Broad Examination of Mental Health Literacy Among College Students in the United States. Health Lit Res Pract. 2023;7(4):e207\u0026ndash;14.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDavies EB, Morriss R, Glazebrook C. Computer-delivered and web-based interventions to improve depression, anxiety, and psychological well-being of university students: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Med Internet Res. 2014;16(5):e130.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eKutcher S, Wei Y. School mental health: a necessary component of youth mental health policy and plans. World Psychiatry. 2020;19(2):174\u0026ndash;5.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCorrigan PW, Druss BG, Perlick DA. The Impact of Mental Illness Stigma on Seeking and Participating in Mental Health Care. Psychol Sci Public Interest. 2014;15(2):37\u0026ndash;70.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eReavley N, Jorm AF. Prevention and early intervention to improve mental health in higher education students: a review. Early Interv Psychiatry. 2010;4(2):132\u0026ndash;42.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHenderson C, Evans-Lacko S, Thornicroft G. Mental illness stigma, help seeking, and public health programs. Am J Public Health. 2013;103(5):777\u0026ndash;80.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWong K. Gender Differences in Mental Health Literacy of University Students. WUPJ. 2016;4.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eChua K-C, Hahn JS, Farrell S, Jolly A, Khangura R, Henderson C. Mental health literacy: A focus on daily life context for population health measurement. SSM - Mental Health. 2022;2:100118.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMilin R, Kutcher S, Lewis SP, Walker S, Wei Y, Ferrill N, et al. Impact of a Mental Health Curriculum on Knowledge and Stigma Among High School Students: A Randomized Controlled Trial. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2016;55(5):383\u0026ndash;e911.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eJorm AF. Mental health literacy: empowering the community to take action for better mental health. Am Psychol. 2012;67(3):231\u0026ndash;43.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ol\u003e"}],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":true,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":false,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":false,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"bmc-public-health","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"pubh","sideBox":"Learn more about [BMC Public Health](http://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/)","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"https://www.editorialmanager.com/pubh/default.aspx","title":"BMC Public Health","twitterHandle":"@BMC_series","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"BMC Series","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Mental health, mental health literacy, attitudes, perceptions, knowledge, mental disorder, students, Makerere University","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8562107/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8562107/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003ch2\u003eBackground\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eMental disorders often begin during adolescence or young adulthood, with 75% of cases developing between the ages of 17 and 24. This age range coincides with the period when many individuals pursue higher education. Assessing mental health literacy among this population is critical as it influences the utilization of evidence-based mental health care. This study assessed mental health literacy among non-medical undergraduate students of Makerere University.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eMethods\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eA cross-sectional study was conducted on a random sample of 365 non-medical students of Makerere University using a semi-structured questionnaire adapted from mental health literacy scale. Descriptive statistics and ordinal logistic regression were used to analyze the data. Bloom\u0026rsquo;s cutoffs were used to categorize the literacy levels.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eResults\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eMajority of the respondents, 282 (77.3%) had moderate knowledge on mental health. Only 138 (37.8%) had positive perceptions on mental health and few, 50 (13.7%) had positive attitudes towards people with mental health disorder. The overall mental health literacy was high in only 45 (12.3%) students and was significantly associated with being a female (aOR\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.422, P\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.014) and having a history of a mental disorder (aOR\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;2.485, P\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.012).\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eConclusion\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis study revealed that most of the non-medical university students have poor mental health-related knowledge and negative perceptions and attitudes towards people with mental health disorder. There is a need to introduce mental health course units to every academic program at the university to improve mental health literacy.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Assessment of Mental Health Literacy among Non-Medical Undergraduate Students of Makerere University, Uganda","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2026-01-28 03:08:17","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8562107/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"decision","content":"Revision requested","date":"2026-04-01T08:19:58+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-03-21T17:46:09+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"250852174322550502744806765125544809949","date":"2026-03-17T08:23:21+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-03-13T14:30:29+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"239454746160841280871166456048463221375","date":"2026-03-13T13:28:34+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"20187362667961805668261606051940086652","date":"2026-03-11T18:31:25+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-02-05T12:15:35+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"322425696905498144273203753778279111737","date":"2026-01-26T05:41:50+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2026-01-22T13:20:27+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2026-01-22T13:07:02+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvited","content":"","date":"2026-01-19T15:08:16+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"checksComplete","content":"","date":"2026-01-18T14:55:41+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"BMC Public Health","date":"2026-01-18T14:49:30+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"bmc-public-health","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"pubh","sideBox":"Learn more about [BMC Public Health](http://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/)","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"https://www.editorialmanager.com/pubh/default.aspx","title":"BMC Public Health","twitterHandle":"@BMC_series","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"BMC Series","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"1707e03c-b134-4d81-a8c0-2b84cbcac75e","owner":[],"postedDate":"January 28th, 2026","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"under-review","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-05-09T02:08:54+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2026-01-28 03:08:17","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-8562107","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-8562107","identity":"rs-8562107","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}