Wolff G, Pathare S, Craig T, Leff J
MRC Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Research Centre, Social Psychiatry Section, Institute of Psychiatry, Denmark Hill, London.
Br J Psychiatry. 1996 Apr;168(4):441-7. doi: 10.1192/bjp.168.4.441.
The findings from a controlled study of the effect of a public education campaign on community attitudes to mentally ill people are presented.
A census of neighbours' attitudes toward mental illness was conducted in two areas before the opening of supported houses for the mentally ill. In one area an educational campaign was conducted. The attitude survey was then repeated in both areas and patients' social contact with neighbours was recorded.
Respondents exposed to the didactic component of the campaign showed only a small increase in knowledge about mental illness but there was a lessening of fearful and rejecting attitudes in the experimental area and not in the control area. Neighbours in the experimental area were more likely to make social contact with both staff and patients. It was social contact which was directly associated with improved attitudes rather than education per se. Patients in the experimental area made contact and even friendships with neighbours whereas those in the control area did not.
The public education campaign did not lead to significant change in neighbours' knowledge of mental illness. However, their attitudes improved and patients' social integration was enhanced.
本文展示了一项关于公众教育活动对社区对精神疾病患者态度影响的对照研究结果。
在为精神疾病患者开设支持性住房之前，对两个地区居民对精神疾病的态度进行了普查。在其中一个地区开展了一项教育活动。之后在两个地区再次进行态度调查，并记录患者与邻居的社会接触情况。
接触到该活动教育内容的受访者对精神疾病的了解仅略有增加，但试验区对精神疾病的恐惧和排斥态度有所减轻，而对照区则没有。试验区的邻居更有可能与工作人员和患者进行社会接触。是社会接触而非教育本身与态度改善直接相关。试验区的患者与邻居建立了联系甚至友谊，而对照区的患者则没有。
公众教育活动并未使邻居对精神疾病的了解产生显著变化。然而，他们的态度有所改善，患者的社会融合得到了加强。
