Poor literacy linked to worse mental health problems

According to a review of studies which used data from nine countries, people with poor literacy face more mental health problems such as loneliness, depression and anxiety. Published in the journal Mental Health and Social Inclusion, the research is the first to examine the global picture of literacy and mental health. The researchers from the University of East Anglia (UEA) in the UK found that little or no literacy disproportionately affects women, who account for two-thirds of the world’s illiterate.
Bonnie Teague from UEA’s Norwich Medical School said, “Despite rising literacy rates over the past 50 years, there are still an estimated 773 million adults globally who can’t read or write. Literacy rates are lower in developing countries and those with a history of conflict, and women are disproportionately affected.”
The researchers noted that people with more literacy tend to have better social outcomes like finding employment, being paid well, and being able to afford better food and housing. Unable to read or write holds a person back throughout their life, and they often become trapped in poverty or more likely to commit crimes, they said.
"We also know lower literacy is related to poorer health, chronic diseases and shorter life expectancy. There has been some research examining the potential association between literacy and mental health, but this is the first study looking at the issue on a global scale,” Teague said.
The team reviewed data from 19 studies that measured literacy and mental health. These studies took place across nine countries -- the US, China, Nepal, Thailand, Iran, India, Ghana, Pakistan, and Brazil, and involved almost two million participants.