| Abstract: |
Mental health refers to an individual's emotional, psychological, and social well
being, while stigmatization involves unfavourable attitudes, discrimination, and
social exclusion directed at persons struggling mental health issues. This study
examined social media awareness on health communication campaigns against
mental health stigmatization among Benin City residents. The study specifically
sought to determine the level of knowledge Benin residents possess regarding
mental health and stigmatization. Anchored on the Agenda-Setting Theory and
African Ubuntu Philosophy. It describes the role of communal support in shaping
communication for public consciousness, promoting care, empathy, and social
acceptance. According to City Population (2026), Benin City is estimated at
2,120,460 residents, and the Krejcie and Morgan sampling formula was used to
arrive at a sample size of 384 respondents. A quantitative research design was
adopted, and data were collected using structured questionnaires and analysed using
descriptive statistics. Chi-square was used to ensure the significance of the findings.
Findings revealed that 79.7% agreed that they hold adequate knowledge of mental
health disorders and their effects, represented in a mean score of 4.0. With
significance statistically showing a distribution for knowledge of mental health,
?²(4) = 266.29, p < .001. The study concluded that social media and health
communication campaigns have significantly enhanced public knowledge of
mental health issues in Benin City despite persistent cultural misconceptions and
stigma. The study recommended social-media campaigns should provide clear
information about mental-health conditions, challenge discriminatory attitudes and
encourage respectful public discussion. |
