The Compass Strategy Although mental illness is a widely known and universally felt issue, knowledge on this topic rarely aims to address younger populations (Jorm, 2000). Despite this fact, most mental disorders are seen during young adulthood, and are often characterized by co-morbidity (Wright et al., 2006). During the time the program was implemented, mental disorders accounted for 55% of the total injury and disease burden among young Australians from ages 15 to 24 (Mathers et. al. 1999). These outrageously high statistics, paired with the low levels of awareness of mental illness, confirmed the importance and need to increase mental health literacy. Mental health literacy refers to the knowledge and beliefs about mental disorders, …show more content…
The main focus of this model is the assessment of local needs, priorities, resources, and its circumstances (Wright et al., 2006). The model was applied to the creation of The Compass Strategy campaign via the application of the nine phases of the Precede-Proceed Model. The assessment process (phases 1-5) focused on the identification, prevalence and manipulability of health determinants (including causal relationships). The important targets identified in these phases were then used to develop interventions (phase 6), which were then evaluated for effectiveness (phases 7-9). A visual representation of the phases aforementioned was created to illustrate the interactions between the phases and to provide an overview of the Model’s role in the campaign. (Refer to image …show more content…
The Precede-Proceed Model guided the population assessment, campaign strategy development, and evaluation. The campaign included the use of multimedia such as a website, paper products (pamphlets, posters, etc.), and an information telephone service. Multiple levels of evaluation were conducted. This included a quasi-experimental, cross-sectional telephone survey, of mental health literacy undertaken before and after 14 months of the campaign. Additionally, a series of binary logistic regression analyses were used to measure the association between a range of campaign outcome variables and the predictor variables of region and time (Wright et al.,
Many people go about their lives not knowing that they have a mental illness. Some like anxiety and panic disorders are easily spotted some are not if they aren’t talked about you would never know that the person was diagnosed with anything. Some commonly known illnesses would be: ADD/ADHD (Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), OCD (Obsessive compulsive disorder), PTS (Post Traumatic Stress disorder), autism, depression, and eating disorders like bulimia and anorexia. The lesser known illnesses include: SAD (Seasonal Affective disorder), Schizophrenia, Bipolar and Personality disorders, anxiety and panic disorders. There is also an increase in dual diagnosis, in which the person is diagnosed with both a mental disorder and substance abuse (Alcohol and or prescription or non-prescription drugs). It is estimated that 26.2 percent of the American Populati...
Both Meg and Jim explained that when growing up, mental illness was something that was never talked about in their schools. As a result, children then and now act negatively towards the concept of mental health. Meg shared an example from her life where this was especially apparent. She explained that growing up she had a lot of friends. However, once her illness grew increasingly worse during her senior year of high school, she noticed that her friend group dwindled dramatically. Her friends did not understand what she was going through. They would tell her that they did not like to spend time with her because ‘she sucked the fun out of everything.’ At this point in time, Meg was having a very hard time with her mental illness and the loss of her friends seemed to be a tipping point for her. It pushed her further into her sad state where she started using self-harm as a way to cope. Knowledge pertaining to mental health is extremely important. Research shows that “most children around five years of age have knowledge of stereotypes related to mental illness, and report that they personally believe them. Negative attitudes towards mental illness observed tend to be consolidated during adulthood (Campos, Palha, Dias, Lima, Veiga, Costa & Duarte, 2012, p.259-260).” Stereotypes resulting in stigmas are learned at a young age. It is critical that kids start learning the
At least one in four people will experience a mental health problem every year, including teenagers and young adults; however, ninety per cent of people who have a mental illness will not speak about it. Why? Because we don’t.
The media in American society has a major influential impact on the minds and beliefs of millions of people. Whether through the news, television shows, or film, the media acts as a huge database for knowledge and instruction. It is both an auditory and visual database that can press images and ideas into people's minds. Even if the individual has no prior exposure or knowledge to something, the media can project into people's minds and leave a lasting impression. Though obviously people are aware of what they are listening to or watching, thoughts and assumptions can drift into their minds without even realizing it. These thoughts that drift in are extremely influential. The massive impact it can leave on America's perception leads to generalizations, assumptions, and stigmas. The media influence is not always negative, however. In most cases it has beneficial and positive aspects. Without the media, people would be drastically less informed and conscientious about major issues in the world around us. In some cases, however, the way the media portrays an issue can twist one's perception, leaving an assumption instead of a factual concept. Mental illness is one of the biggest concepts that the media has distorted due to the majority of portrayals the media presents. Mental health is extremely important and plays a key role in every individual's life. Yet it is also has millions of misconceptions. Mental illness is more common that one would like to believe. In reality, one in five Americans will suffer from a mental disorder in any given year. Though that ratio is about equivalent to more than fifty-four million people, mental illness still remains a shameful and stigmatized topic (National Institute of Mental Health, n.d.). The taboo of mental illness has an extensive and exhausting history, dating back to the beginning of American colonization. It has not been an easy road to say the least. Due to the endless efforts and research of certain foundations and individuals, the ideas and functions of mental health have improved significantly. The advancements made in the field are impressive and without them humankind would not be the same. Yet then why do only fewer than eight million people who are in need of help seek treatment? (National Mental Health Association, 2001). The history, stigmatization, and perce...
A mental disorder, or illness, is defined as “a mental… condition marked primarily by sufficient disorganization of personality, mind, and emotions to seriously impair the normal psychological functioning of the individual” (Merriam & Webster, 2014). Mental illness affects approximately 1 of 4 people in the United States over the age of 18, or 26.2%. Of that 26.2%, six percent of them suffer from a mental disorder that is considered serious and 45% of them have characteristics that meet the criteria for more than one mental disorder. On any given day, 6.7% of United States citizens are suffering from depression, 1.5% are suffering from dysthymic disorder, 2.6% are exhibiting signs and symptoms of bipolar disorder, 1.1% are diagnosed with schizophrenia, 18.1% are suffering from anxiety, and 13.8% of the population are battling conditions such as eating disorders, attention deficient hyperactivity disorder, or a personality disorder (National Institute of Mental Health, 2014).
Mental health and mental ill health is a wide subject that includes many different categories of mental health problems. According to the organisation Mind, mental health problems affect one in four people in Britain (Mind, 2013). Although, that is a big number it still is a sensitive topic for many people.
An estimated 61.5 million American Lives, or one in four, suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder in any given year, and it takes a decade, on average for them to make contact with a health care professional (Pending). One in 17 Americans currently live with chronic mental illness disorders such as schizophrenia, major depression or bipolar disorder (pending). Despite the new discoveries and advances in science and technology, the social stigma of mental illness prevails. Why is mental illness an issue? Why should healthy people be concerned if their neighbor suffers from acute depression? Those are the questions that the average American faces. Yet, our society remains naïve when it comes to mental health. The roots of this issue are found in the lack of information and lack of mental health accessibility.
...cts of policies such as; personalisation of community mental health services (Social Care Institute of Excellence, 2009), integrated care and based of the assumption that people are living longer; the progress that could be possible for treatments and patient outcomes through the Government’s Dementia Challenge (Department of Health, 2014). Furthermore, although the explanations and treatments of mental illnesses have come a long way, attitudes have been slower to change. A Time to Change survey showed an overall 3.6% improvement in public attitudes between 2008 and 2012 (Time to Change, 2012), (The Guardian , 2013) and (BBC, 2013). But, now that the promotion of mental health awareness is firmly on the agenda and if government invests appropriately in research, we could soon to see innovative and positive advances on the way we explain and treat mental illnesses.
The importance of mental health and its effect on individuals has been underestimated. The stigma and discrimination of those affected by mental disorders still exists today. The advancing technology and thorough research are slowly moving towards a less discriminating and better understanding of mental health. More and more patients especially children and adolescents are being diagnosed with different mental disorders. Not enough programs and grants are given to screen and protect children from developing mental illness conditions. In order to maintain mental health’s importance and decrease the stigma associated with it, further education, prevention, and promotion is necessary.
Caring for the mind is just as important to our health as caring for our physical well being. Yet, it is only now that we have started to acknowledge this crucial piece of knowledge to the well being of our human race. To the other half of the world however, this realization has not yet been recognized. In order to carry the advancement of our human race towards higher achievements, we need the power of the young, healthy, capable, and imaginative minds of the youth to discover knowledge not yet learned. Through the stigmatization of mental health awareness in collectivist societies however, goals of producing healthy members of society becomes questionable with the valuing of submissiveness, placing excessive emphasis on selflessness, and
Mental illness should be taught in schools to let children and teens know that it’s real and not uncommon. Most think that mental illness is a rarity and happen to someone else but them. Mental Illness is actually widespread throughout the country. Three to five million kids ages five to seventeen are affected by mental illness each year and nearly 9.3 million over 18 are affected each year, The most common disorders being depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, anorexia, etc. Mental illness should be taught in schools because many teens have mental illness and don't know how to deal with it or what it is. some even go to extremes as to hurt themselves or others in cases, to temporarily rid the pain
Mental Health is an issue that millions of individuals are facing here in the United States. Illnesses such as anxiety and panic attacks, borderline personality disorder, drug and alcohol addiction, and depression affect the lives of so many.
Mass media “references to people with mental health problems found more than four in ten articles in the press used derogatory terms about mental health and nearly half of press coverage related mental illness to violence and crime” (Esseler, 244). This is causing for people to look down upon the mention of mental illnesses and many times ignore the importance of confronting this issue. Therefore the importance of removing this stigmatization is crucial. Education allows to make more informed decisions and then changing the perception of mental illness can lead towards policy changes toward the improvement of mental health (Sakellari,
It is deeply alarming that ignoring mental health is systematically ignored as an important part of health promotion. This is shocking because, in theory, mental health is recognized as an important component of health, the close link between physical and mental health is recognized, and it is generally known that physical and mental health share many of the same social, environmental and economic components. We know that facilities dedicated to those with mental health problems are more vulnerable to the resources of physical diseases in many parts of the world, and it is essential that mental health promotion should not be equally affected
Today, the numbers of people with mental health issues are considerably high. The problem increases the national and global social and economic burdens as governments try to find means of empowering the people with the issue and solve the problem. Today, one in five adults in the United States has a mental health problem (“Mental Health Facts,” 2016). “Mental Health Facts” (2016) also states that the adults that received mental health services are about 60%. Only 50% of the youth with mental health issues received mental health services in the previous year. Further, mental health issues are also related to drug use and addiction. Of all the mental illnesses and disorders, depression affects the most people and has the biggest burden globally. Due to the increasing burden and the gap in service utilization, the mental health policy seeks to address several factors. Some of the key issues to address include early diagnosis of mental disorders, provision of appropriate and adequate intervention a particular problem, education and counseling for the family members, and research to help reduce the numbers and reverse the trend. Another key area of focus is the use of mass media to create awareness about mental health issues and help clear the