Nature and the degree of stigmatization expressed toward persons with mental illnesses

Abstract

Aim: to establish nature and the degree of stigmatization expressed toward persons with different mental disorders (depression, dementia, eating disorders, phobias, schizophrenia, alcoholism and drug addiction). Methods: The sample encompassed 181 subjects, of both sexes, aged 16 years and over, with various levels of education, various occupations and living in different cities of Serbia. The opinions toward persons with the mental disorders mentioned were investigated using interview, which was given in the form of scale assessment. For each statement respondents choose the answer on bipolar five-level scale, e.g. dangerous to others - not dangerous to others. Results: The greatest percentage of negative opinions is related to persons with drug addiction, alcoholism and schizophrenia, particularly opinions about dangerousness, unpredictability and about being difficult to talk with. But while the persons with drug addiction and alcoholism are thought of as responsible for their condition (64.9% and 64.2%), that opinion share only 20.7% participants for persons with schizophrenia, and 16% participants for persons with dementia. The least dangerous were perceived persons with eating disorder and phobia (14.1% and 24.7% respectively). Participants considered that persons with various mental illnesses feel different from the way we feel, mostly the persons with schizophrenia (66.3%) and drug addiction (59.1%). The greatest percentage of negative opinions related to treatability is for persons with dementia (43.4%) and persons with schizophrenia (33.2%). Also, the greatest percentage of participants considered that people with dementia (55.3%) and with schizophrenia (51.4%), 'can't never fully recover'. Conclusion: Participants expressed the highest degree of stigmatization toward persons with alcoholism, drug addiction and schizophrenia. Opinions toward treatability and outcome of mental illnesses are in general realistic. Those findings indicate that there is background for understanding some aspects of mental illnesses, which could be the base for anti-stigma campaign. .

Cilj: Ispitivanje prirode i stepena izraženosti stigmatizujućih mišljenja prema osobama sa različitim mentalnim bolestima (depresija, demencija, poremećaji ishrane, fobija, shizofrenija, alkoholizam i narkomanija). Metod: Uzorkom smo obuhvatili 575 ispitanika, oba pola, uzrasta iznad 16 godina, različitog nivoa obrazovanja i zaposlenja iz različitih gradova u Srbiji. U istraživanju je korišćen intervju kojim su se ispitivala mišljenja prema osobama sa navedenim mentalnim poremećajima, a koji smo zadavali u formi skala procene. Za svaku izjavu ispitanici su birali odgovor na petostepenoj bipolarnoj skali, npr. opasan po druge - nije opasan po druge. Rezultati: Najveći procenat negativnih mišljenja se vezuje za osobe sa narkomanijom, alkoholizmom i shizofrenijom, naročito mišljenja o opasnosti, nepredvidivosti i teškoćama komunikacije, ali dok se osobe sa narkomanijom i alkoholizmom okrivljuju za svoje stanje (64.9% i 64.2%) to mišljenje deli samo 20.7 % ispitanika za osobe sa shizofrenijom i 16% ispitanika za osobe sa demencijom. Najmanje opasne se opažaju osobe sa poremećajem ishrane i fobijom (14.1% i 24.7%). Ispitanici smatraju da se sve osobe sa mentalnim bolestima osećaju drugačije od većine ljudi, najviše osobe sa shizofrenijom (66.3%) i narkomanijom (59.1%). Procenat negativnih mišljenja vezanih za poboljšanje sa tretmanom je najveći za osobe sa demencijom (43.4%) i shizofrenijom (33.2%). Takođe, najveći procenat ispitanika smatra da se osobe sa demencijom (55.3%) i shizofrenijom (51.4%) 'ne mogu nikad oporaviti u potpunosti'. Zaključak: Najviše se stigmatizuju osobe sa alkoholizmom, narkomanijom i shizofrenijom. Mišljenja prema poboljšanju sa tretmanom i oporavku su generalno realistični. Ovi nalazi ukazuju da postoji osnova za razumevanje nekih aspekata mentalnih bolesti na kojima se mogu bazirati anti-stigma kampanje. .