Wu Qiuxia, Luo Xiaoyang, Chen Shubao, Qi Chang, Yang Winson Fu Zun, Liao Yanhui, Wang Xuyi, Tang Jinsong, Tang Yiyuan, Liu Tieqiao
Department of Psychiatry, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.
National Clinical Research Center on Mental Disorders, Changsha, China.
Front Psychiatry. 2020 Jan 10;10:946. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00946. eCollection 2019.
There have been few studies on the stigma associated with mental disorders among non-mental health professionals in general hospitals in China. This study seeks to explore mental health-related stigma and the desire for social distance among non-mental health professionals in general hospitals in Hunan Province in China. The study was carried out with 1123 non-mental health professionals in six general hospitals in Hunan Province by using a questionnaire with a case vignette describing either schizophrenia, depression, or generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Questions were asked about the attitudes of participants and other people towards individuals with mental disorders and the willingness to come into contact with them. The people described in the vignette were considered dangerous by 84.4% of participants for schizophrenia, 72.0% of participants for depression, and 63.1% of participants for GAD. Besides being dangerous, people with schizophrenia were perceived as unpredictable and as the least suitable for voting for as a politician or employing. Around 50% of participants believed the problems described in the vignette were due to personal weakness. Over 70% of the non-mental health professionals were not willing to have the people described in the vignette marry into their family. The participants had gained their mental health-related knowledge mainly through the media, mostly from newspapers. The current study found a significant stigma towards individuals with mental disorders and a desire for social distance from such people among non-mental health professionals in general hospitals in Hunan Province. Anti-stigma interventions should focus on addressing non-mental health professionals' beliefs on dangerousness and unpredictability.
在中国，针对综合医院非精神卫生专业人员中与精神障碍相关的污名化现象的研究较少。本研究旨在探讨中国湖南省综合医院非精神卫生专业人员中与心理健康相关的污名化现象以及与精神障碍患者保持社交距离的意愿。该研究通过对湖南省六家综合医院的1123名非精神卫生专业人员进行问卷调查展开，问卷中包含一个描述精神分裂症、抑郁症或广泛性焦虑症（GAD）的病例 vignette。问卷询问了参与者及其他人对精神障碍患者的态度以及与他们接触的意愿。vignette中描述的患有精神分裂症的人被84.4%的参与者认为具有危险性，患有抑郁症的人被72.0%的参与者认为具有危险性，患有广泛性焦虑症的人被63.1%的参与者认为具有危险性。除了具有危险性之外，精神分裂症患者还被认为不可预测，最不适合被选为政治家或被雇佣。约50%的参与者认为vignette中描述的问题是由于个人弱点导致的。超过70%的非精神卫生专业人员不愿意vignette中描述的人与自己的家人结婚。参与者获取与心理健康相关知识的主要途径是媒体，大多是通过报纸。当前研究发现，湖南省综合医院的非精神卫生专业人员对精神障碍患者存在显著的污名化现象，并且希望与这类人保持社交距离。反污名化干预措施应着重解决非精神卫生专业人员关于危险性和不可预测性的观念。
