Mental health literacy is increasingly recognised as an important part of public mental health promotion, but there is still no universally agreed definition of the concept. This umbrella review examines how mental health literacy has been conceptualised and operationalised across academic review articles published between 2000 and 2024.
The review synthesises evidence from 40 systematic and scoping reviews, exploring the definitions, frameworks, measures and applications used across different disciplines. It finds that much of the literature still relies on definitions focused on recognising and managing mental disorders. However, more recent approaches call for a broader understanding of mental health literacy, including positive mental health, stigma reduction, help-seeking efficacy and the conditions that support wellbeing.
The review highlights the need for more comprehensive, context-sensitive frameworks and measurement tools that better align with contemporary mental health promotion strategies. It also underlines the importance of integrating both illness-focused and wellbeing-focused perspectives to support mental health across different populations and settings.
Read the full paper in the Scandinavian Journal of Public Health:
https://doi.org/10.1177/14034948261422936