Literacia em saúde mental

: contributos para a caracterização da população adulta portuguesa e para o estudo psicométrico do LSMq-SVa

Abstract

The assessment of mental health literacy has become increasingly important due to the need to plan interventions in this area. Therefore, this research aims to contribute to the psychometric study of the Mental Health Literacy Questionnaire - short version for adults (LSMq-SVa) and characterize the level of mental health literacy in the Portuguese adult population. The study involved 604 Portuguese adults aged between 18 and 88, most of whom were university graduates and employed, focusing on the health sector. The results indicate higher levels of mental health literacy among female participants, at younger ages, with higher levels of education, among health professionals, with training in mental health and proximity to people with mental health problems. Concerning the psychometric results of the LSMq-SVa, the study demonstrated its convergent validity. In conclusion, this study has contributed to the assessment of mental health literacy in the Portuguese adult population and to the identification of the specific needs of this age group, central to the development of more targeted promotion and prevention measures. In addition, this study has contributed to the robustness of the psychometric properties of the LSMq-SVa, confirming it as a valid measure for assessing mental health literacy and the effectiveness of interventions in this area.

Date of Award	11 Jul 2024
Original language	Portuguese
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Luísa Campos (Supervisor) & Pedro Dias (Co-Supervisor)