Mental health literacy among older adults: a cross-sectional study in Turkey

ObjectiveMental health literacy refers to people's knowledge and beliefs about mental disorders, their ability to recognize them, and their knowledge of help-seeking decisions. There is a lack of knowledge regarding health literacy in older adults in Turkiye.AimThe aim of current study is to measure the level of mental health literacy of older individuals and to create new grounds about the topic.MethodsFor this cross-sectional study, 163 cognitively healthy people aged >= 65 were included. Demographic characteristics form and "Mental Health Literacy Scale-TR" were used to collect data. Age, marital status, and education were identified as associated with mental health literacy.ResultsThe mean age of participants was 70.71 +/- 4.35. 41.7% of them were male and 8.6% of them had Bachelor's Degree. The mean score of Mental Health Literacy Scale-TR was 12.42 +/- 3.68.ConclusionMental health literacy level of older adults was moderate.The findings underscore the ongoing need for communities to support the development of mental health literacy skills among elderly individuals. Additionally, present study emphasizes the importance of further investigating mental health help-seeking behaviors, and the stigma surrounding mental health.

Dergi

DISCOVER PUBLIC HEALTH

Yıl

2025

Cilt

22

Sayı

1

eISSN

3005-0774

DOI

10.1186/s12982-025-00845-7

WoS UID

WOS:001539746000001