The stigma of mental illness in Southern Ghana: attitudes of the urban population and patients' views
The stigma of mental illness in Southern Ghana: attitudes of the urban population and patients' views
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DOI：
10.1007/s00127-010-0290-3
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发表时间：
2011-11-01
影响因子：
4.4
通讯作者：
Klecha, Dorothee
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Barke, Antonia;Nyarko, Seth;Klecha, Dorothee
成见是精神疾病的常见伴随物，导致一些有害后果。大多数与精神疾病有关的耻辱感研究都是在发达国家进行的。到目前为止，撒哈拉以南非洲国家的数据很少，加纳也没有公布人口对精神疾病态度的数据。来自阿克拉、海岸角和潘唐的403名参与者（210名男性，平均年龄32.4 +/-A12.3岁）填写了社区对精神病患者的态度（CAMI）问卷。此外，105名患者（75名男性，平均年龄35.9 +/-A11.0岁）（阿克拉精神病医院、Ankaful医院、Pantang医院）回答了感知耻辱和歧视量表。人口中普遍存在高度耻辱感，表现为对表达专制和社会限制观点的项目表示赞同的比例很高，与更仁慈的态度共存。较高的教育水平与更积极的态度在所有分量表（权威主义，社会限制，仁慈和接受社区为基础的精神卫生服务）。患者报告了高度的经验丰富的耻辱与保密有关的疾病作为一种普遍的应对策略。感知到的耻辱与性别或年龄无关。加纳南部城市人口内的污名化态度的程度符合在撒哈拉以南非洲其他国家的研究不足，并反映了患者报告的经验丰富的耻辱。这些结果必须在加纳精神病系统资源极度匮乏的背景下看待。反污名化的努力应包括对精神病患者本身的干预，而不应只关注公众的态度。
Stigma is a frequent accompaniment of mental illness leading to a number of detrimental consequences. Most research into the stigma connected to mental illness was conducted in the developed world. So far, few data exist on countries in sub-Saharan Africa and no data have been published on population attitudes towards mental illness in Ghana. Even less is known about the stigma actually perceived by the mentally ill persons themselves.A convenience sample of 403 participants (210 men, mean age 32.4 +/- A 12.3 years) from urban regions in Accra, Cape Coast and Pantang filled in the Community Attitudes towards the Mentally Ill (CAMI) questionnaire. In addition, 105 patients (75 men, mean age 35.9 +/- A 11.0 years) of Ghana's three psychiatric hospitals (Accra Psychiatry Hospital, Ankaful Hospital, Pantang Hospital) answered the Perceived Stigma and Discrimination Scale.High levels of stigma prevailed in the population as shown by high proportions of assent to items expressing authoritarian and socially restrictive views, coexisting with agreement with more benevolent attitudes. A higher level of education was associated with more positive attitudes on all subscales (Authoritarianism, Social Restrictiveness, Benevolence and Acceptance of Community Based Mental Health Services). The patients reported a high degree of experienced stigma with secrecy concerning the illness as a widespread coping strategy. Perceived stigma was not associated with sex or age.The extent of stigmatising attitudes within the urban population of Southern Ghana is in line with the scant research in other countries in sub-Saharan Africa and mirrored by the experienced stigma reported by the patients. These results have to be seen in the context of the extreme scarcity of resources within the Ghanaian psychiatric system. Anti-stigma efforts should include interventions for mentally ill persons themselves and not exclusively focus on public attitudes.