DOI: 10.36347/sasjm.2015.v01i01.005

Pages: Page: 26-32

Mental illness is any define disease or condition affecting the brain that influences the way a person thinks, feels, behaves and relates to others, and to his surroundings.. Mental disorders are widely recognized as a major contributor to the global burden of disease worldwide. The aim of this study was to examine the knowledge and attitude about mental illness among general public. This article is based on selective research on mental health with an aim to assess knowledge, attitude and beliefs (KAB) of general public and to stimulate greater attention to the importance of building a functioning mental health system which could meet the rising demand for mental health services in the urban community of Yaoundé. This is a cross-sectional survey conducted from October 2014 to March 2015. A selfadministered questionnaire exploring KAB within the community was formulated. Questions were based on basic demographic information, opinions about potential stigmas, myths, and knowledge of mental health. Of 944 subjects surveyed, 67.7% have already heard or known someone who has suffered or is suffering from mental illness. Among them, 51.0% are males whereas 49.0% are females. A majority of the respondents was aged between 20 – 29 years (60.7%). 30.4% believed that mental illness can be treated. Recognition of common mental disorders in the studied population was poor (32.6%). Knowledge of mental illness among the general public was quite poor and suggests the need for strong emphasis on public education to increase mental health literacy among general public to increase awareness and positive attitude of people towards mental illness