Public Opinion Towards Mental Health (The Case of the Vologda Region)

Abstract

Abstract. The relevance of the work is caused by the socio-economic consequences of mental illness, the growing psychological distress of the region's population in the situation of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the prevalence of alert sentiments regarding the assistance of specialists. Improving health literacy has a positive effect on behavior related to seeking help for psychiatric symptoms and communication with healthcare practitioners. The purpose of this work is to study public opinion about the problems of mental illness and literacy of the population in the field of mental health. The method is a sociological survey of the population of the Vologda Oblast (quota sample, N = 1500). The study revealed the attitudes of the region's residents in relation to mental illness: lack of interest in the majority of information about mental health; conservatism in the choice of information sources; negative stereotypes in relation to people with mental disorders: the need for their exclusion; stereotypes regarding the lifestyle and treatment of people with mental disorders. The residents of the region have a small potential request for information materials on the forms and manifestations of depressive and anxiety disorders, borderline personality disorder, dementia; information on eating disorders is least in demand. It is concluded that the current situation requires a more attentive attitude to educational programs for the population of the region on the issues of mental health and ill health.