A Study to Assess the Perception on Myths and Misconceptions Regarding Mental Illness Among Adults Residing In Selected Rural and Urban Areas of District Mandi, HP in A View to Develop an Information Booklet

Vollständiger Abstract

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BACKGROUND Mental illness is an important component of overall health and well-being. However, myths and misconceptions regarding mental illness continue to exist in society and may contribute to stigma, discrimination, delayed help-seeking, and inappropriate treatment. Lack of awareness, cultural beliefs, misinformation, and limited exposure to mental health information may influence perceptions, particularly in rural communities. AIM To assess the perception of myths and misconceptions regarding mental illness among adults residing in selected rural and urban areas of District Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, and to compare their perceptions and identify associations with selected socio-demographic variables. METHODOLOGY A quantitative approach with a non-experimental comparative research design was adopted. The study was conducted among 300 adults, comprising 150 participants from selected rural areas and 150 from selected urban areas of District Mandi, Himachal Pradesh. Participants were selected using a non-probability purposive sampling technique. Data were collected using a socio-demographic questionnaire and a self-structured five-point Likert scale consisting of 16 items for myths and 16 items for misconceptions regarding mental illness. The tool was validated by experts and reliability was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha. Descriptive and inferential statistics, including frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, and Chi-square test, were used for analysis. RESULTS The findings revealed that most adults had a moderate level of perception regarding myths and misconceptions about mental illness. Regarding myths, 95 (63.3%) rural adults and 98 (65.3%) urban adults had moderate scores. Regarding misconceptions, 72 (48.0%) rural adults and 80 (53.3%) urban adults had moderate scores. The mean myths score was 47.59 ± 10.73 among rural adults and 53.64 ± 12.12 among urban adults. The mean misconception score was 48.24 ± 10.07 among rural adults and 53.98 ± 10.56 among urban adults. Rural myths scores were significantly associated with gender and knowing someone who had suffered from mental illness. Urban myths scores were significantly associated with age, marital status, and type of family. Rural misconception scores were significantly associated with religion and knowing someone who had suffered from mental illness, while urban misconception scores were significantly associated with gender and monthly family income. CONCLUSION Myths and misconceptions regarding mental illness continue to persist among adults in both rural and urban communities. Although moderate perception was predominant, urban adults demonstrated comparatively higher perception scores than rural adults. The findings emphasize the need for community-based mental health education, awareness programmes, counselling, and accessible educational materials such as information booklets to improve understanding and reduce misconceptions and stigma.