Structural Stigma in State Legislation

Abstract

Examples of structural stigma uncovered by surveys such as this one can inform advocates for persons with mental illness as to where an individual state stands in relation to the number of bills that affect persons with mental illness and whether these bills expand or contract the liberties of this stigmatized group.

Mental Health Stigma: What is being done to raise awareness and reduce stigma in South Africa?

“…28 Structural stigma refers to the violation of human rights through loss of access to employment, housing, and in some instances, voting, jury duty, holding public office, marriage and parenting. [29][30][31][32][33] In order to plan strategies for effective anti-stigma campaigns, it is first necessary to ascertain what has been done. This study therefore examines the current antistigma and awareness-raising programmes in South Africa.…”

“We don't want to talk about that”: Overcoming barriers to rural aging research and interventions on sensitive topics

“…With respect to treatment, an individual may be very comfortable engaging in self-help behaviors, participating in therapy sessions, and taking psychotropic medications in the privacy of their home; but, due to possible stigma and fear of deviation from majority community norms, and in contrast to willingness to talk with neighbors about their latest surgery, he or she may be resistant to discuss personal mental health management/treatment issues with strangers, and especially with community friends and neighbors (Dobransky-Fasiska et al, 2010). In another realm, if there is potential to stigmatize an entire group, for instance making a claim that rural adults with mental illness experience poorer health than those residing in urban areas, the result may lead to negative social consequences for the identified group at large (Corrigan et al, 2005). While not limited to these examples, or even mental health per se, such perceptions provide insight on challenges of studying sensitive issues.…”

Psychosocial Functioning in Bipolar Disorder from a Social Justice Perspective

“…Laws that d i r e c t l y r e s t r i c t t h e r i g h t s o f p e o p l e w i t h M I a r e e x a m p l e s o f i n t e n t i o n a l s t r u c t u r a l discrimination that inhibits functioning Corrigan, Watson, Heyrman, et al, 2005). In the private sector, lack of equal insurance coverage for mental health treatment (compared to non-psychiatric treatment) and the increasingly negative portrayals of MI in the media are both examples of intentional structural stigma ).…”

“…In the area of health care, current government policies allow extensive discrimination against people with MI by health insurance companies (Boyd et al, 2011), fail to support deinstitutionalization of psychiatric patients with adequate community alternatives Heginbotham, 1998;Phelan & Link, 1998), and provide insufficient funding for effective dissemination of evidencebased psychiatric practices (McHugh, K.R., & Barlow, D.H., 2010). With respect to civil rights, people with MI experience restrictions in obtaining firearms, voting, holding elective office, serving on juries, or gaining full parental rights over their children (Burton, 1990;Corrigan, Watson, Heyrman, et al, 2005;Hemmens, Miller, Burton, & Milner, 2002). People with MI also suffer a great deal of harm from the media .…”

“…In the absence of institutional protection, funding and support, structural stigma directly circumscribes the opportunities of people with BD to improve their clinical, social and vocational functioning (Baldwin & Marcus, 2011;Boyd et al, 2011;Corrigan, Watson, Heyrman, et al, 2005;Krupa, 2007;Michalak et al, 2007;Michalak et al, 2011). Thus, people with BD may struggle to function in part because they attempt to negotiate a social environment that is not designed to accommodate their limitations (e.g.…”