Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40471981›Full record

ArticlePloS one2025

Mental health literacy in nursing students: Insights from a cross-sectional analysis.

Mohamad AlMekkawi, Rouwida ElKhalil, Annie Rosita Arul Raj, Ibrahim Bashayreh, Iffat Elbarazi, Mohammed Al Maqbali, Ciara Hughes

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Exploring Mental Health Literacy and Quality of Life in Multiple Sclerosis: A Cross-Sectional Study.The Journal of neuroscience nursing : journal of the American Association of Neuroscience Nurses
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Mohamad AlMekkawiNursing Department, Fatima College of Health Sciences, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Rouwida ElKhalilInstitute of Public Health, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2031-837X
Annie Rosita Arul RajNursing Department, Fatima College of Health Sciences, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Ibrahim BashayrehNursing Department, Fatima College of Health Sciences, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Iffat ElbaraziInstitute of Public Health, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates.
Mohammed Al MaqbaliNursing Department, Fatima College of Health Sciences, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Ciara HughesInstitute of Nursing and Health Research, School of Health Sciences, Ulster University, Belfast, United Kingdom.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1064-6775

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Mental health literacy is crucial for nursing students to deliver effective patient care; however, its development throughout their academic journey remains underexplored. This study aimed to assess mental health literacy among nursing students in the UAE and examine factors influencing their literacy levels. A quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted from February 2024 to August 2024 using convenience sampling. A total of 295 undergraduate nursing students participated in the study. Data were collected using the Mental Health Literacy Questionnaire (MHLq) and analyzed using SPSS software (version 24). Descriptive and inferential analyses were conducted to calculate means, standard deviations, percentages, and measures of association using t-tests for students' sociodemographic variables, dimensions, and global scores, with a significance level of 0.05 for the tests. The findings indicated that participants (all female, with a mean age of 20.7 ± 1.85 years) had a mean MHLq score of 108.19 ± 10.53. Fourth-year students scored higher (110.78 ± 9.79) than lower-year students (106.85 ± 10.68). Students with family or friends who were affected had higher scores (48.00 ± 6.16) than those without (45.97 ± 6.16). The highest-scoring domain was knowledge of mental health problems (46.59 ± 6.40), while self-help strategies scored lowest (16.99 ± 2.61). Students with a personal history of mental illness had lower scores. The study also indicated a statistically significant association between students' marital status, their level of study, and their first-aid skills and help-seeking behavior. The study highlights the importance of integrating mental health literacy into undergraduate nursing curricula to enhance student's ability to provide patient-centered care for individuals with mental health disorders. Implementing targeted educational strategies focusing on awareness, recognition, and communication may strengthen students' competency and preparedness for mental health care practice.

Indexed as

Health LiteracyMental HealthStudents, NursingAdultCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansMaleSurveys and QuestionnairesYoung Adult

Identifiers

PMID40471981
PMCPMC12140200

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.