Mental health communication channels and mental health promotion messages for depression knowledge of working –age group in Bangkok

Abstract

The objective of this study is to obtain the data regarding the depression knowledge in working-age group at the age ranging from 18 to 59 in Bangkok, mental health communication channels to be accessed in search of the information on mental health under stressful circumstances, and mental health promotion messages which affect the depression knowledge. The data were collected from 637 samples by the questionnaires. The results of the study revealed that the samples achieved a high level of the depression knowledge. When testing for differences between means from each group by means of the one-way ANOVA, it was found that the samples who earned the vocational school degree program would have a lower depression knowledge than those who graduated from lower than primary education level, primary education level, secondary education level and also the bachelor’s degree program or higher bachelor’s degree program with a 0.05 level of statistical significance. When analyzing the differences between means from each group by using the independent t-test, the findings revealed that the samples who were not drug abusers had a higher level of the depression awareness than those who were addicted to drugs with a 0.001 level of statistical significance.      

          Based on the correlation analysis to explore the relationships between mental health promotion messages and depression knowledge, it was found that mental health promotion messages were related to depression knowledge with a 0.001 level of statistical significance.   

          With regard to the mental health communication channels to be accessed in search of the information on mental health under stressful circumstances, some common channels to be accessed by the samples for self-healing purpose were to go to see movie or listen to music, to think positively, and to talk to close friends. The results of the study were in accordance with the WHO’s campaign “Depression : Let’s talk”. Therefore, the Department of Mental Health should increasingly publicize mental health promotion messages in order to educate people how to observe oneself and other surrounding people, as well as disseminate information on how to relieve stress for self-healing purpose, i.e., to go to see movie or listen to music, to think positively, and to discuss own problems with close friends.