Exploring Mental Health Literacy in Canada: A Mixed-Method Cross-Sectional Study

Introduction: Mental health literacy (i.e., mental health-related knowledge, attitudes, and behaviour; MHL) may be a key to reducing the burden of mental illness on the health system and to improving the overall population’s mental health through facilitating upstream mental health promotion. Objectives: The purpose of this mixed-method study is to explore the correlates of MHL in Atlantic Canada and assess the ability of residents to correctly diagnose a disorder, identify potential causes, and propose suitable treatments based on the medical model or a social prescribing model. Methods: A sample of Atlantic Canadians (N = 254) participated in this cross-sectional study, which included vignettes and measures of overall MHL, level of contact with people living with mental illness, and preferred level of social distance from people with mental illness. Results: We found that (a) social connections were more commonly prescribed for generalized anxiety relative to the medical model treatment recommendations, (b) panic disorder was least likely to be correctly identified, (c) general anxiety was disproportionately thought to be caused by external factors, (d) only social distance predicts MHL beyond demographics and level of contact, and (e) household (not individual) conservative orientation negatively predicts MHL. Conclusion: Efforts to improve MHL and thus reduce the burden of mental illness on Atlantic Canadian health systems could be informed by increasing public knowledge of the causes and treatments of generalized anxiety disorder, increasing residents’ ability to recognize disorders beyond depression (e.g., panic disorder), and reducing stigma by fostering comfort for those living near individuals with mental illness.