scholarly journals Reducing psychiatric stigma and discrimination: evaluation of educational interventions in UK secondary schools

2003 ◽  
Vol 182 (4) ◽  
pp. 342-346 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vanessa Pinfold ◽  
Hilary Toulmin ◽  
Graham Thornicroft ◽  
Peter Huxley ◽  
Paul Farmer ◽  
...  

BackgroundThe persistent and disabling nature of psychiatric stigma has led to the establishment of global programmes to challenge the negative stereotypes and discriminatory responses that generate social disability but these initiatives are rarely evaluated.AimsTo assess the effectiveness of an intervention with young people aimed at increasing mental health literacy and challenging negative stereotypes associated with severe mental illness.MethodA total of 472 secondary school students attended two mental health awareness workshops and completed pre- and post-questionnaires detailing knowledge, attitudes and behavioural intentions.ResultsYoung people use an extensive vocabulary of 270 different words and phrases to describe people with mental health problems: most were derogatory terms. Mean positive attitude scores rose significantly from 1.2 at baseline to 2.8 at 1-week follow-up and 2.3 at a 6-month follow-up. Changes were most marked for female students and those reporting personal contact with people with mental illness.ConclusionsShort educational workshops can produce positive changes in participants' reported attitudes towards people with mental health problems.

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Louise Thornton ◽  
Frances Kay-Lambkin ◽  
Bree Tebbutt ◽  
Tanya L Hanstock ◽  
Amanda L Baker

BACKGROUND Background: People with mental health disorders live on average 20 years less than those without, often due to poor physical health including cardio-vascular disease (CVD). Evidence-based interventions are required to reduce this lifespan gap. OBJECTIVE Objective: This study aimed to develop, trial, and evaluate a mobile-based lifestyle program (MyHealthPA) to help people with mental health problems improve key health risk behaviors and reduce their risk of CVD. METHODS Methods: The development of MyHealthPA occurred in three stages: (1) a review of the literature; (2) a scoping survey (n=251) among people with and without experience of mental health problems; and (3) program development informed by stages (1) and (2). A small pilot trial among young people with and without mental health (MH) disorders was also conducted. Participants completed a baseline assessment and given access to the MyHealthPA program for a period of eight weeks. They were then asked to complete an end-of-treatment assessment and a follow-up assessment one month later. RESULTS Results: Twenty-eight young people aged 19 to 25 years were recruited to the pilot trial. Of these, 12 (43%) had been previously diagnosed with a MI. Twelve participants (43%) completed the end-of-treatment assessment and six (21%) completed the follow-up assessment. Small improvements in fruit and vegetable consumption, level of physical activity, alcohol use, and mood were found between baseline and end-of-treatment and follow-up, particularly among people with experience of MH issues. Most participants (57-60%) reported the program had above average usability, however only 29-40% of participants reported that they would like to use the program frequently and would recommend it to other young people. Participants also identified a number of ways in which the program could be improved. CONCLUSIONS Conclusions: This article describes the formative research and process of planning that formed the development of MyHealthPA and the evidence base underpinning the approach. The MyHealthPA program represents an innovative approach to CVD risk reduction among people with mental health problems. MyHealthPA appears to be an acceptable, easy to use, and potentially effective mHealth intervention to assist young people with mental illness to monitor risk factors for CVD. However, ways in which the program could be improved for future testing and dissemination were identified and are discussed.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Carolin M. Doll ◽  
Chantal Michel ◽  
Marlene Rosen ◽  
Naweed Osman ◽  
Benno G. Schimmelmann ◽  
...  

Abstract Background The majority of people with mental illness do not seek help at all or only with significant delay. To reduce help-seeking barriers for people with mental illness, it is therefore important to understand factors predicting help-seeking. Thus, we prospectively examined potential predictors of help-seeking behaviour among people with mental health problems (N = 307) over 3 years. Methods Of the participants of a 3-year follow-up of a larger community study (response rate: 66.4%), data of 307 (56.6%) persons with any mental health problems (age-at-baseline: 16–40 years) entered a structural equation model of the influence of help-seeking, stigma, help-seeking attitudes, functional impairments, age and sex at baseline on subsequent help-seeking for mental health problems. Results Functional impairment at baseline was the strongest predictor of follow-up help-seeking in the model. Help-seeking at baseline was the second-strongest predictor of subsequent help-seeking, which was less likely when help-seeking for mental health problems was assumed to be embarrassing. Personal and perceived stigma, and help-seeking intentions had no direct effect on help-seeking. Conclusions With only 22.5% of persons with mental health problems seeking any help for these, there was a clear treatment gap. Functional deficits were the strongest mediator of help-seeking, indicating that help is only sought when mental health problems have become more severe. Earlier help-seeking seemed to be mostly impeded by anticipated stigma towards help-seeking for mental health problems. Thus, factors or beliefs conveying such anticipated stigma should be studied longitudinally in more detail to be able to establish low-threshold services in future.


2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 206-219 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emmelin Teng ◽  
Venning Anthony ◽  
Winefield Helen ◽  
Crabb Shona

Background: Young people carry mental health problems disproportionate to the size of their population, and rates of help-seeking are low. School mental health programs have been developed to address these issues, founded on an educational approach to target mental health literacy, and indirectly improve help-seeking. However, it has been suggested that knowledge does not necessarily predict health behaviour in young people. Objective/Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted to explore whether knowledge about mental illness was related to attitudes towards mental illness and intentions to seek help in a sample of adolescent girls (N=327). Results: Results indicated a weak negative relationship between knowledge about mental health and stigmatising attitudes about mental illness, but no relationship between knowledge about mental health and intentions to seek help for mental health problems. When mental health was categorised (e.g., optimal vs. poorer mental health), a negative relationship between knowledge about and stigmatising attitudes toward mental health was shown in those with poor mental health, but not for adolescents categorised as having moderate or optimal mental health. Conclusion: Findings suggest that while the traditional adage - more information on mental health equals better attitude to mental health - may be true for those with ‘poorer’ levels of mental health (e.g., high levels of psychological distress), it may not reduce stigma associated with mental illness or motivate positive health behaviour in adolescent girls with ‘optimal’ mental health (e.g., low or no levels of psychological distress). .


2006 ◽  
Vol 188 (6) ◽  
pp. 583-584 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Yates ◽  
Tami Kramer ◽  
M. Elena Garralda

SummaryWe examined the use of a staff-completed measure, the Health of the Nation Outcome Scales for Children and Adolescents (HoNOSCA), to record mental health problems in adolescents in local authority secure accommodation. It proved possible to train staff and implement completion of the HoNOSCA on 64 consecutive admissions. Interrater reliability was high. The HoNOSCA identified high levels of psychological problems on admission (mean 18.5, s.d.=5.5). Follow-up HoNOSCA ratings proved sensitive to change; however, correlation between HoNOSCA and adolescent-completed questionnaires was poor. We concluded that HoNOSCA can be helpful in documenting mental health problems among young people admitted to secure local authority units.


2013 ◽  
Vol 10 (02) ◽  
pp. 102-107 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Bezborodovs ◽  
G. Thornicroft

SummaryWork plays an important part in everyday life. For people experiencing mental health problems employment may both provide a source of income, improved self-esteem and stability, and influence the course and outcomes of the disorder. Yet in many countries the work-place consistently surfaces as the context where people with mental health problems feel stigmatised and discriminated the most. This paper will review the existing evidence of stigma and discrimination in the workplace, consider the consequences of workplace stigma on the lives of people experiencing mental health problems, and discuss implications for further action.


2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 33
Author(s):  
Rajni Suri ◽  
Anshu Suri ◽  
Neelam Kumari ◽  
Amool R. Singh ◽  
Manisha Kiran

The role of women is very crucial in our society. She cares for her parents, partner, children and other relatives. She performs all types of duties in family and also in the society without any expectations. Because of playing many roles, women often face many challenges in their life including both physical and mental. Mental health problems affect women and men equally, but some problems are more common among women including both physical and mental health problems. Aim of the study - The present study is aimed to describe and compare the clinical and socio-demographic correlates of female mentally ill patients. Methods and Materials: The study includes 180 female mentally ill patients based on cross sectional design and the sample for the study was drawn purposively. A semi structured socio-demographic data sheet was prepared to collect relevant information as per the need of the study. Result: The present study reveals that the socio-demographic factors contribute a vital role in mental illness. Findings also showed that majority of patients had mental problems in the age range of 20-30 have high rate. Illiterate and primary level of education and daily wage working women as well as low and middle socio-economic status women are more prone to have mental illness. Other factors like marital status, type of family and religion etc also important factors for mental illness. Keywords: Socio demographic profile, female, psychiatric patient


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