Mental health literacy in low- and middle-income countries

Abstract Mental health literacy is defined as the ability of an individual to recognize specific disorders or different types of psychological distress but is equally relevant to communities. It is learning about not only the risk factors and causes of various psychiatric disorders, but also self-help, knowledge of professional services, and how to seek help and remain well. Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) face specific challenges such as financial challenges, poverty, and inadequate services. This chapter explores mental health literacy, focusing on LMICs with special reference to South Asian countries (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka). In order to improve populations’ mental health, it is crucial to improve people’s understanding of mental illnesses, ensuring that all sections of society and communities in LMICs are involved if mental health literacy is to improve. This chapter also addresses key issues related to key factors associated with mental health literacy in LMICs.