A study conducted by Indah Asnawati, Sukaesih, and Asep Saeful Rohman, students and lecturers from the Library and Information Science Study Program, Faculty of Communication Sciences, Universitas Padjadjaran, reveals important patterns in how individuals with depression seek information to meet their mental health needs. The study was carried out at Cahaya Bunda Mother and Child Hospital, Cirebon City, involving four individuals with depression at varying levels of condition.
The findings show that people with depression go through six stages of information seeking, namely: the initiation stage when uncertainty arises, the topic selection stage, the information search stage through the internet or social media, the validation stage with experts such as psychologists or psychiatrists, the relevant information gathering stage, and the final stage when they feel satisfaction and relief after finding answers. This pattern was analyzed using Kuhlthau’s Information Search Process (ISP) model, which emphasizes the interaction between cognitive, emotional, and behavioral aspects.
This research is significant because many individuals with depression are still unaware of their need for mental health information. Low information literacy may delay them in seeking professional help, which can worsen their condition. The findings are expected to serve as a reference for families, communities, and healthcare professionals to become more proactive in helping individuals with depression access accurate and reliable information.
In addition, this research supports the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), which highlights the importance of mental health, and SDG 4 (Quality Education), which focuses on improving literacy and access to quality information.
Full articel available at: http://media.unpad.ac.id/files/publikasi/2025/rpm_20250204111017_2764.pdf
