Knowledge of and attitudes to major depressive disorder and its treatment in a sample of the general population in Serbia

Abstract

Introduction/Objective The objective of this paper was to examine the mental health literacy of the general population in Serbia and their attitudes towards persons with a mental illness. Methods This was a cross-sectional study with structured interview using the vignette of a person with major depressive disorder (MDD). The attitudes towards people with mental illness were assessed by the Department of Health Attitudes to Mental Illness Questionnaire. A convenient sample consisted of 504 participants. Results A total of 72% of the sample recognized the presence of some sort of mental health problem, of which 40.9% correctly labeled the symptoms as MDD. The majority of participants believed that MDD was caused more by stress than by biological factors. A psychologist, a close friend, and a psychiatrist were often rated as helpful for the person described by the vignette. Vitamins and healing herbs were rated as the most helpful remedy. Antidepressants were considered both helpful and harmful. The attitudes towards people with mental illness were moderately positive. Conclusion Mental health literacy in Serbia is moderate. Risk factors for negative attitudes included older age and lower education.