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Abstract
Objective This study sought to assess knowledge of schizophrenia and help-seeking behaviour among undergraduate students of a Nigerian university. Sociodemographic predictors of correct recognition were also explored.
Design The study was a cross-sectional descriptive survey.
Setting The study was carried out at the University of Nigeria, a pioneer university located in Southeastern Nigeria.
Participants Undergraduate students of the University of Nigeria.
Methods All consenting male and female students of three purposively selected faculties were recruited for the study. Self-administered vignette-based questionnaires were distributed to students of the selected faculties between September and November 2018. Data were analysed using the IBM Statistical Product and Services Solution for Windows V.21.0.
Results Out of the 400 questionnaires that were distributed, 389 were completed and returned (97.3% response rate). Respondents were mainly female (64.9%, n=252) and were between the ages of 18 and 24 years (75.8%, n=294). One in eight respondents (12.1%, n=47) correctly identified and labelled the schizophrenia vignette. Hallucination was the most identified symptom of distress for schizophrenia (47.9%, n=186). The most common alternative label for schizophrenia was ‘mental illness’ (24.7%, n=96). Schizophrenia was also mislabelled as depression (11.6%, n=45). More than a 10th of the respondents used stigmatising labels such as ‘crazy’ and ‘mad’ (11.1%, n=43). Psychiatrists were the most recommended source of help for the vignette character (36.3%, n=141). There was a strong association between the faculty of study and the ability to correctly identify and label the schizophrenia vignette (χ2=44.557, p<0.001).
Conclusion Mental health literacy among students of the University of Nigeria was poor. Research on culturally sensitive interventions to improve mental health literacy should be embarked on.
- Mental health literacy
- Knowledge
- schizophrenia
- students
- Nigeria
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Footnotes
Contributors MJO and DOA conceptualised the study and contributed to the data collection. VUO contributed to the study design and interpretation. DOA conducted the analyses, summarised the results and wrote the first draft of the manuscript. All authors contributed to the study design, data interpretation and revisions to the text, and approved the final text and agreed to be accountable for the work.
Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.
Competing interests None declared.
Patient consent for publication Not required.
Ethics approval Ethical clearance for the study was received from the University of Nigeria ethical committee.
A verbal informed consent instead of a written informed consent was obtained to preserve students’ desired anonymity. They were also assured of the confidentiality of the information that they would give.
Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.
Data availability statement Data are available upon reasonable request.