Recent studies involving Estonian researchers show that mental health literacy has overlooked paying more attention to the everyday skills people need to support well-being.
A new umbrella review involving National Institute for Health Development (TAI) researcher Hedvig Sultson examined 40 literature reviews published between 2000 and 2024 to assess how mental health literacy (MHL) has been defined and measured.
The findings were published in the Scandinavian Journal of Public Health (SJPH).
Researchers found that mental health literacy has largely centered on understanding mental disorders, reducing stigma and knowing when to seek help. Less attention, however, has gone to understanding mental well-being and the everyday factors that support it.
Sultson said mental health literacy should also help people recognize what supports well-being, including safe relationships, a sense of belonging, sleep, physical activity, meaningful activities and knowing when to seek support.
“If mental health literacy mainly only focuses on recognizing mental health disorders, part of prevention gets overlooked,” she said. “Skills and environments supporting well-being need the same clear attention.”
TAI’s 2024 health behavior survey found that 23 percent of men and 27 percent of women in Estonia experienced more stress than usual, while depression symptoms were reported by 19 percent of men and 24 percent of women.
Both measures were down from 2022, although stress levels remained higher than at the start of the previous decade.
Impact of digital media
A separate study involving TAI chief researcher Toomas Veidebaum and published in the journal BMC Pediatrics examined data from 3,608 European adolescents averaging about 13 years old.
According to Juta Kraav, the key is to aim for at least 60 minutes of physical activity per day and to review your dietary habits. Source: Ken Mürk/ERR
Researchers looked at links between digital media use, body dissatisfaction and family environment.
More time spent using digital media was found to be associated with greater body dissatisfaction, particularly among those using smartphones and the internet. A supportive family environment, meanwhile, appeared to weaken the association.
“Young people compare themselves a lot with what they see around them,” Veidebaum said. “A large part of that comparison now takes place in digital environments.”
He noted that that open conversations at home about appearance, body image and well-being are key.
“A supportive family environment can help youth better interpret what they see online,” Veidebaum said.
Supportive environments key with youth
TAI’s 2024 child mental health survey found that 22 percent of 11- to 17-year-olds had fairly or very frequent difficulty coping with stress, with that figure reaching as high as 44 percent among 17-year-old girls.
Among respondents ages 15 and older, 32 percent reported having self-harmed at least once, including 41 percent of girls.
Researchers say the findings reinforce the need to support mental well-being before problems grow in severity, with support available at home, at school and in digital environments.
The findings are included in TAI’s 2026 Population Health Yearbook, which covers data on a range of topics involving health, health behavior and healthcare access in Estonia.
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