DOI: https://doi.org/10.14710/southsight.202630404

Promoting Mental Health Literacy through Digital Media in Zimbabwe

*Clemenciana Mukenge orcid  -  University of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe
Received: 10 Dec 2025; Revised: 14 Apr 2026; Accepted: 17 Apr 2026; Published: 30 Apr 2026.
Open Access Copyright (c) 2026 Clemenciana Mukenge
Creative Commons License This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Abstract

Digital media has emerged as a promising tool for promoting mental health literacy, particularly among young people. With the widespread adoption of social media, online platforms, and digital broadcasting, digital media offers unparalleled reach and accessibility for mental health initiatives. However, its effectiveness in low-resource settings such as Zimbabwe remains understudied. This scoping review aimed to synthesize existing evidence on the potential of digital media in enhancing mental health literacy among young people, with a view to assessing its applicability in the Zimbabwean context. Guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR), a comprehensive search of multiple databases yielded 40 studies that met the inclusion criteria. Data were analyzed using thematic synthesis, involving a three-stage analytical process, and interpreted through an interpretivist lens, recognizing knowledge as socially constructed and context-dependent. Digital media demonstrated potential in promoting mental health literacy, with social media and text messaging showing promise. Effective content creation and dissemination strategies, audience engagement, and addressing barriers were crucial for success. The study concludes that digital media can enhance mental health literacy among young people in Zimbabwe. However, addressing infrastructural, technological, and cultural challenges is essential for optimizing its potential. This review informs the development of evidence-based digital media interventions to support mental health promotion initiatives in Zimbabwe.

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Keywords: Digital media; mental health literacy; young people; health promotion; scoping review; Zimbabwe

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Section: Review
Language : EN
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