Effects of an Educational Program on Depression Literacy and Stigma Among Secondary School Students in Jazan City

Effects of an Educational Program on Depression Literacy and Stigma Among Students of Secondary Schools in Jazan City

Depression is a serious mental health disease. It is generally characterized by sadness, loss of interest in activities, and decreased energy. Globally, it is estimated that almost 350 million people suffer from depression. In Saudi Arabia, literature suggested that prevalence of depression among boy's secondary school students in Abha city was 38.2%. Another study found that the prevalence of depression was 22.4 % as moderate, 7.3 % as severe and 3.7% as very severe, with a clear predominance prevalence of depression in girls as in boys (1.5 times). It is important to assess depression literacy including knowledge and beliefs about mental disorders among adolescent. A high level of mental health literacy on depression leads to a better understanding and outcomes of depressive disorders. Schools are a typical venue in which to embed mental health literacy because the school students are more familiar with educational activities. Studies concluded that educational intervention about depression literacy and destigmatization improves knowledge and may decrease stigma. Further research, intervention and activism are needed in the field of mental health in Arab countries to improve awareness of mental health problems.

Objectives: This study is aimed to measure the effect of educational intervention program about depression among secondary schools in Jazan city on depression literacy and stigma during the academic year 2015-2016.

The intervention: the intervention will held at each selected intervention school separately. The program will be over 2 weeks intervention as the following:

• Educational strategies: 2 Lecture about depression 30 minutes supported by group discussion, brochures and display of posters with mental-health slogans on depression in the schools.
• Contact strategies: the investigators will show a video of a young male who had been diagnosed (i.e., not an actor) with depression.

Benefits:

* The intervention group will join educational intervention program they expected to benefit from the program through increase their depression literacy and improve depression stigma, and control group will not join any form of intervention.

Risk: There is no expected risk for participating in the study.

Consent: Three Informed Consents forms will be signed from students, guardians and school manager.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Students needed to be enrolled in one of the selected schools during the academic year 2015-2016.
• Must be in the age group 10-19 years.
• Must agree to participate in the study (consent was obtained from the students,and proxy consent was obtained from guardians).

Exclusion Criteria There were no exclusion criteria for participation in this study.