Authors: Cornelia Y I Chee Tze Pin Ng Ee Heok Kua
Publish Date: 2005/08/16
Volume: 40, Issue: 8, Pages: 648-653
Abstract
The stigma faced by psychiatric patients associated with the type of psychiatric facilities is controversial This study was conducted to compare the stigma faced by patients with schizophrenia and nonschizophrenia psychiatric disorders in the outpatient departments of a state mental hospital with those in a general hospital in Singapore A crosssectional study involving two groups of outpatients in a state mental hospital n=300 and in a university general hospital n=300 were assessed with a 12item stigma scale Components of the scale assessed included social rejection negative media perception shame and social discrimination Among schizophrenia patients state mental hospital patients had significantly lower stigma scores compared to their counterparts in the general hospital For other mental illnesses the reverse was true state mental hospital patients had significantly higher stigma scores compared to their counterparts in the general hospital Stigma was also associated with a younger age and being employed though not by gender The stigma faced by psychiatric patients is complex and may have institutional and disorderspecific elements Possible reasons for this are discussed
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