J Harangozo1, B Reneses2, E Brohan3, J Sebes4, G Csukly5, J J López-Ibor6, N Sartorius7, D Rose3, G Thornicroft3. 1. Centre for Community Psychiatry, Semmelweis Medical University, Budapest, Hungary. 2. Instituto de Psiquiatría, Instituto de Investigación biomédica del Hospital Clínico San Carlos, Departamento de Psiquiatría, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain blanca@reneses.es. 3. Health Service and Population Research Department, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, UK. 4. Department of Psychiatry, Bajcsy-Zsilinszky Hospital, Budapest, Hungary. 5. Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Semmelweis Medical University, Budapest, Hungary. 6. Instituto de Psiquiatría, Instituto de Investigación biomédica del Hospital Clínico San Carlos, Departamento de Psiquiatría, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain. 7. Association for the Improvement of Mental Health Programmes, Geneva, Switzerland.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether people with schizophrenia experience discrimination when using health care services. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey in 27 countries in centres affiliated to the INDIGO Research Network, using face-to-face interviews with 777 participants with schizophrenia (62% male and 38% female). We analysed the data related to health issues, including health care, disrespect of mental health staff, and also personal privacy, safety and security, starting a family, pregnancy and childbirth. Discrimination was measured by the Discrimination and Stigma Scale (DISC), which consists of 36 items comprising three sub-scales: positive experienced discrimination; negative experienced discrimination; and anticipated discrimination. RESULTS: More than 17% of patients experienced discrimination when treated for physical health care problems. More than 38% of participants felt disrespected by mental health staff, with higher ratings in the post-communist countries. CONCLUSIONS: Mental health service providers have a key role in decreasing stigma in their provision of health care, and by doing more against stigmatizing and discriminating practices on the therapeutic and organizational level. This will require a change of attitudes and practices among mental and physical health care staff.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether people with schizophrenia experience discrimination when using health care services. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey in 27 countries in centres affiliated to the INDIGO Research Network, using face-to-face interviews with 777 participants with schizophrenia (62% male and 38% female). We analysed the data related to health issues, including health care, disrespect of mental health staff, and also personal privacy, safety and security, starting a family, pregnancy and childbirth. Discrimination was measured by the Discrimination and Stigma Scale (DISC), which consists of 36 items comprising three sub-scales: positive experienced discrimination; negative experienced discrimination; and anticipated discrimination. RESULTS: More than 17% of patients experienced discrimination when treated for physical health care problems. More than 38% of participants felt disrespected by mental health staff, with higher ratings in the post-communist countries. CONCLUSIONS: Mental health service providers have a key role in decreasing stigma in their provision of health care, and by doing more against stigmatizing and discriminating practices on the therapeutic and organizational level. This will require a change of attitudes and practices among mental and physical health care staff.
Authors: A-La Park; David McDaid; Prisca Weiser; Carolin Von Gottberg; Thomas Becker; Reinhold Kilian Journal: BMC Public Health Date: 2013-08-29 Impact factor: 3.295