Study urges stronger focus on mental wellbeing skills

A review study reported by ERR says mental health literacy has paid too little attention to maintaining mental wellbeing and supporting it in everyday life. In 2024, more than a quarter of adult women and nearly a quarter of adult men in Estonia experienced higher-than-usual stress.

The review, published in the Scandinavian Journal of Public Health with the participation of Hedvig Sultson, a researcher at the Health Development Institute, examined 40 literature reviews published between 2000 and 2024. Researchers analysed how mental health literacy has been understood and measured.

The findings showed that mental health literacy has mainly focused on knowledge of mental disorders, reducing stigma and seeking help. Less attention has been given to how people understand mental wellbeing, maintain it and use everyday factors that help them cope with life.

“It is important that people know how safe relationships, a sense of belonging, sleep, physical activity, meaningful activities and the ability to ask for support when needed help shape mental health,” Sultson said.

She said that when mental health literacy is limited mainly to recognising mental disorders, part of prevention remains overlooked. Skills and environments that support wellbeing need equally clear attention, she added.

According to the adult population health behaviour survey cited in the Health Development Institute’s population health yearbook, 23 percent of men and 27 percent of women felt more stress than usual in 2024. Depression was reported by 19 percent of men and 24 percent of women.

Although the figures declined compared with 2022, stress levels remain higher than at the beginning of the decade.

Digital environment affects young people’s mental health

A separate study published in BMC Pediatrics, with the participation of Toomas Veidebaum, a leading researcher at the Health Development Institute, analysed data from 3,608 European young people with an average age of 13.

The researchers examined links between digital media use, dissatisfaction with one’s body and the family environment. Longer digital media use was associated with greater body dissatisfaction, particularly in connection with smartphone and internet use.

The study also found that a supportive family environment may weaken this association.

Veidebaum said adolescence is a sensitive period in the development of body image. Young people often compare themselves with what they see around them, much of which is now found in digital environments.

He said it was important whether young people could calmly discuss appearance, the body and their feelings at home. A supportive family environment helps them interpret what they see in digital media, he added.