DIGEST - Volume 9, Issue 4- FULL DIGEST

21 TPC Digest Allison Crowe, Paige Averett, Janeé R. Avent Harris, Loni Crumb, Kerry Littlewood In My Own Words Exploring Definitions of Mental Health in the Rural Southeastern United States H ow do people define mental health? And do these definitions differ depending on who the person is or where they reside? The following study assessed the utility of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ definition of mental health among participants in the rural Southeastern United States. Because of how common and widespread mental health conditions are in the United States, mental health professionals have become increasingly aware that educating the public about mental illness is of utmost importance. Mental health literacy (MHL), or the knowledge and beliefs about disorders that assist in the recognition, prevention, or management of a mental health concern, is one way those who are struggling with mental health concerns can manage mental illnesses more effectively. Improving MHL can have the capacity to positively impact negative attitudes, biases, or assumptions that are associated with having a mental illness as well as assist with help-seeking so those who have a mental illness will receive necessary treatment. Rural residents have fewer options for mental health services; in fact, many rural areas have no health care services at all. Residents in rural regions must travel greater distances for mental health services, are less likely to have health insurance, and have lower MHL. Therefore, professional literature and research studies that assist with raising knowledge about MHL are warranted, as the current literature base on this topic is lacking, especially as it relates to types of settings and samples of the population. Understanding how groups of people view mental health has many benefits to enhancing MHL. A more specific understanding of mental health concepts can serve as a foundation to increase utilization of mental health services, improve quality of care, and enhance clients’ ability to communicate concerns. If there are to be greater gains in prevention, intervention, and management of mental health in rural regions of the United States, we need a comprehensive understanding of aspects that are included in perceptions of mental health—using their own words. Rural residents in our study used the concept of well-being. In addition, most participants believed mental health described how individuals think, followed by those who described it as a combination of thoughts and feelings. Many participants listed only one component of mental health (e.g., brain imbalance), suggesting that their understanding of the concept of mental health is lacking. A more comprehensive understanding of mental health, with a specific focus on the connection between emotions, behaviors, and somatic symptoms, potentially could assist rural residents with becoming more conscious of signs and symptoms related to common mental health concerns such as anxiety and depression. It seems important for mental health educators, organizations, and counseling practitioners in rural areas to provide education that broadens beliefs about the nature of mental health. Counselors in rural communities may consider building resources with physicians, faith-based organizations, and other mental health providers. Because access to mental health services is often limited or non-existent in rural communities, counselors should be more intentional in implementing these forms of programming, as there are a large number of rural communities yet to be reached. Allison Crowe is an associate professor at East Carolina University. Paige Averett is a professor at East Carolina University. Janeé R. Avent Harris, NCC, is an assistant professor at East Carolina University. Loni Crumb, NCC, is an assistant professor at East Carolina University. Kerry Littlewood is an instructor at the University of South Florida. Correspondence can be addressed to Allison Crowe, 225 Ragsdale Hall, Mailstop 121, College of Education, 5th St., Greenville, NC 27858, crowea@ecu.edu . | TPC Digest