부산대학교 도서관

Mental health is a very important factor for the well-being of society and individuals. But many people are suffering from mental health problems. Mental health problems are especially serious for the socioeconomic vulnerable group. Thus, mental health literacy of public case managers who are the initial discoverers of mental health problems for the socioeconomic vulnerable group and provide psychological and social services to them is important. Recently, public case management has become more important. But mental health problems are difficult cases for public case managers to intervene. In particular, schizophrenia and alcoholism are mental illnesses that are often encountered by public case managers, but are difficult to intervene. This study checked the level of mental health literacy of public case managers and analyzed how their mental health literacy affects case management competence and working relationship for schizophrenia and alcoholism. In this study, 218 public case managers were randomly assigned by vignettes of schizophrenia and alcoholism, and asked about their knowledge and attitude of mental health and their awareness of case management competence and working relationship for schizophrenia and alcoholism vignettes. The results showed that the average score of mental health literacy of the public case manager was 114.13 points(SD=9.47, Min=37, Max=168). Differences between types of mental illness in case management competence and working relationship were not statistically significant. In addition, after controlling demographic variables, mental health literacy has a statistically significant effect on case management competence and working relationship for schizophrenia and alcoholism. The results of the hierarchical regression analysis are as follows: 1) mental health literacy(β=.300) have significant effect on case management competence for schizophrenia. 2) mental health literacy(β=.339) and age(β=.304) have significant effect on case management competence for alcoholism. 3) mental health literacy(β=.342) and case management career period(β=.314) have significant effect on working relationship for schizophrenia. 4) mental health literacy(β=.369), gender(β=-.202) and age(β=.243) have significant effect on working relationship for alcoholism. Based on these results, the researcher made the following practical implications. First, it is necessary to mandate a refresher course, which includes mental health education, and to provide customized education by level centered on a practical case, in order to enhance the mental health literacy of public case managers. Second, an appropriate supervision should be provided to public case managers to strengthen case management competence for mental health problems and to form positive working relationship. Third, education programs to improve human rights sensitivity need to be implemented for public case managers in order to change their negative perception and attitude toward those who have mental health problems.