Evaluating mental health literacy in medical students in the United Kingdom
| Date | 29 August 2019 |
| Published date | 29 August 2019 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/JMHTEP-01-2019-0001 |
| Pages | 339-347 |
| Author | Marrison Rebecca Marwood,Jasmine Heath Hearn |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care,Mental health,Mental health education |
Evaluating mental health literacy in
medical students in the United Kingdom
Marrison Rebecca Marwood and Jasmine Heath Hearn
Abstract
Purpose –There is urgent need to explore medical students’understandings of mental illness to better
support this high-risk group. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate mental health literacy in medical
students using the Mental Health Literacy Scale (MHLS), and provide validation of the measure.
Design/methodology/approach –In total, 251 participants were recruited from medical schools across
the UK. Participants completed demographic details and the MHLS. This paper reports total MHLS scores
and their relationships with demographics and experiences with mental illness.
Findings –The mean MHLS score was 127.69. MHL was significantly higher in females, and students in
later years of study (p o0.05). Over 40 per cent of respondents reported having personal experience of
mental illness. This, as well as having a close friend or family member with a mental illness, was associated
with higher MHL (p o0.05).
Originality/value –This study is the first to use the MHLS and provide validation of this measure in medical
students. Despite high rates of personal experience with mental health issues, medical students’average
MHLS scores were comparable to studies of non-medical student groups. Medical schools should aim to
build students’confidence in recognising and seeking help for mental health issues from the first year of
medical training. MHL is a multi-faceted issue; further work is required to improve awareness of risk factors, to
better understand why males demonstrate poorer MHL scores than females, and to work towards improving
MHL in males.
Keywords Mental health, Medical training, Stigma, Health promotion
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
Mental health in medical students
The mental health of medical students has been highlighted as an issue of significant concern
(Karp and Levine, 2018; Kothari et al., 2018; Munn, 2017), with the British Medical Association
calling for a review of mental health support provided to medical students (Coombes, 2018).
Medical students have higher rates of mental illness (Chew-Graham et al., 2003; Dyrbye et al.,
2006) and burnout (Lyndon, 2017) than the general population. A recent meta-analysis
demonstrated that 28 per cent of medical students are affected by depression (Puthran et al.,
2016), whilst approximately 11 per cent report suicidal ideation (Rotenstein et al., 2016).
The reasons behind medical students ’increased vulnerability are multi-faceted. Moir et al.
(2018) identified numerous factors –including selection, student characteristic and
assessments –as potential vulnerability factors. Indeed, medical students are exposed to
significant academic, clinical and financial stressors. Unlike non-medical undergraduate
students, however, medical students’mental health occurs in the context of obligations
for self-care and disclosure in their role as future health care professionals (GMC, 2013;
Vigo, 2016). There are a number of myths surrounding mental health and fitness
to practice that may discourage help-seeking amongst medical students (GMC, 2017;
Kothari, George and Hamid, 2018), thereby highlighting the need to understand medical
students’knowledge of mental health.
Received 3 January 2019
Revised 20 May 2019
Accepted 23 May 2019
Marrison Rebecca Marwood is
based at the School of Medicine,
University of Buckingham,
Buckingham, UK.
Jasmine Heath Hearn is based
at the Department of
Psychology, Manchester
Metropolitan University,
Manchester, UK.
DOI 10.1108/JMHTEP-01-2019-0001 VOL. 14 NO. 5 2019, pp. 339-347, © Emerald Publishing Limited, ISSN 1755-6228
j
THE JOURNAL OF MENTALHEALTH TRAINING, EDUCATION AND PRACTICE
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