Freidl M, Piralic Spitzl S, Aigner M
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
Int Rev Psychiatry. 2008 Dec;20(6):510-4. doi: 10.1080/09540260802565422.
The aim of this study was to survey the attitudes of 115 patients with the diagnosis of somatoform pain disorder, toward anticipated discrimination and mental illness stigma and how it is influenced by depressive symptoms.
115 consecutive in- and outpatients with somatoform pain disorder (mean age: 50 +/- 11 years; 62% female) from the Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, were administered a modified 12-item version of Link's Perceived Stigma Questionnaire and the Beck Depression Inventory.
With regard to close personal relationships, such as taking care of children or dating, somatoform pain patients showed a rather high perceived stigma score (over 70% for both items). Also nearly 70% think that 'most employers' would pass over the application of a psychiatric patient in favour of another applicant. The overall results show a significant correlation with depressive symptoms (r = 0.228 and p = 0.014).
Fear of stigma increases with depressive symptoms and both are a risk for treatment delay. The goal of future research should be the question how to reduce subjective stigma experiences of the patients affected in order to help them enter psychiatric treatment early and gain self-confidence and mental health back again.
本研究旨在调查115名被诊断为躯体形式疼痛障碍的患者对预期歧视和精神疾病污名的态度，以及抑郁症状对其的影响。
对来自维也纳医科大学精神病学与心理治疗系的115名连续的躯体形式疼痛障碍门诊和住院患者（平均年龄：50±11岁；62%为女性）进行了修改后的12项版林克感知污名问卷和贝克抑郁量表测试。
在诸如照顾孩子或约会等亲密的个人关系方面，躯体形式疼痛患者的感知污名得分相当高（两项得分均超过70%）。近70%的人还认为“大多数雇主”会优先考虑其他求职者而不考虑精神疾病患者的求职申请。总体结果显示与抑郁症状存在显著相关性（r = 0.228，p = 0.014）。
对污名的恐惧随抑郁症状加剧，二者均是治疗延迟的风险因素。未来研究的目标应是探讨如何减少受影响患者的主观污名体验，以便帮助他们尽早接受精神科治疗并重新获得自信和心理健康。
