Knowledge about depression in a sample of maltese adults

Abstract

The data collected was then analysed using the Pearson chi-squared and Fisher exact test. An exploratory inferential cross-sectional research design was used in this study. Sixty-six participants were invited to participate in an interview using a tool constructed by the present author after an intensive literature search. Three participants refused to take part in the survey interview, giving a response rate of 95.4%. Data findings revealed that the vast majority of Maltese in the early adult phase had regular contact with persons having depression. Participants appeared knowledgeable about the signs and symptoms of depression. Main sources of information were the experiences of others followed by the television. Respondents overwhelmingly (90.5%) perceived stress as the main cause of depression. Misperceptions regarding food consumed and spending long hours watching television as causes of depression were detected. Maintaining a good social life was perceived as the best way to prevent having depression. Popular choices to treat depression are visiting a psychologist/psychotherapist and taking medication. Use of medication is still a popular choice for Maltese participants (as compared to results obtained in foreign studies). The greatest barrier to seek help for depression was the fear of being stigmatised. For analysis by gender females cited that depression is due to chemical imbalances in the brain significantly more than males. Results analysed by age category indicate that watching long hours of television was perceived significantly more in the 20-24 year group as a cause of depression and with the 30-34 age perceiving having more control than the other groups in their ability to prevent having depression. Following these findings, the present author made a number of recommendations such as in the area of clinical practice with the need for more mental health professionals to organise psycho-education campaigns focusing mainly on stigma; in education the need of organizing online courses to help young adults how to deal and manage stress and in research by carrying a longitudinal study to determine temporal changes of respondents perceptions over time.