Attitudes towards psychoses and psychotic patients in Beijing.

The issue of public health education regarding mental illnesses has been relatively low profile in the People's Republic of China. A questionnaire study was carried out on 3,028 lay members of the Beijing population to ascertain their knowledge of opinions concerning and attitudes towards the mentally ill. Very few subjects had systematic knowledge about mental illness and nearly half had no acquired knowledge at all. On the whole they were sympathetic towards the mentally ill and towards provision of high quality mental health care. Despite this sympathy a small proportion still attributed mental illness either to 'ghosts', 'retribution for ancestors' evil deeds' or 'bad thoughts'. Superstitious ideas were clearly related to low educational attainment. The attitudes of family members of psychotic patients were explored in greater detail.