Stigma towards people with mental disorders: perceptions of devaluation and discrimination in a sample of Chilean workers

Abstract

Introduction. Mental disorders represent one of the main causes of disease burden in the adult population. Negative public attitudes and behaviors toward people with mental disorders negatively affect the treatment, recovery, and social inclusion of those affected. Chile laks surveys on workers that address this issue. Objective. To describe the perceptions of devaluation and discrimination towards people with mental disorders in a sample of Chilean workers. Method. A cross-sectional study was carried out with 1 516 workers in the formal sector of four regions of Chile (Metropolitan Region [RM], Bío Bio [VIII], Valparaíso [V] and Coquimbo [IV]). The perception of discrimination and devaluation was explored through a modified version of the The perceived Devaluation-Discrimination Scale (PDD) comprising 15 questions. The relationship of each question with sociodemographic variables (age, sex, years of study, and region) and type of economic activity was assessed. Results. The study found a high percentage of perceptions of devaluation and discrimination in most aspects considered, particularly those related to hiring a person who has been hospitalized due to a mental illness (85%), feeling sorry for people with severe mental illnesses (80%), and the unwillingness to marry a person with a mental illness (78%). Significant differences were observed in the opinions by sociodemographic variables and region of residence. Discussion and conclusion. The perception of Chilean workers has high levels of stigma towards people living with mental disorders. It is necessary and urgent to develop effective anti-stigma public policies to promote a more inclusive, tolerant society.

Stigma toward psychosis in urban Chile: Engaging “what matters most” to resist stigma through recovery-oriented services.

“…A preliminary study among users of MHS in Chile identified salient traditional cultural factors (e.g., gendered family roles) shaping the experience of stigma, suggesting interventions can reduce stigma by supporting fulfillment of these expectations (Mascayano et al, 2015). Recent studies have demonstrated substantial mental illness stigma among Chileans, calling for interventions (Solis-Soto et al, 2019; Vaccari et al, 2020). In this study, we aim to further elaborate WMM, as described by users, their families, and community members, clarifying how WMM might be impacted by recent social transformations in Chile.…”

Infusing the trauma-informed approach in youth suicide research: Lessons from the field.

“…This is because high schools in Chile tend to penalize risk behaviors, often framing them as disciplinary violations for fear of contagion among students. In addition to this, people struggling with mental health disorders or presenting risk behaviors are often stigmatized in Chile (Sapag & Velasco, 2020;Solis-Soto et al, 2019). The stigma of mental health disorders, however, varies greatly by context.…”