Types of stigma experienced by patients with mental illness and mental health nurses in Indonesia: a qualitative content analysis

Abstract

Background Stigma refers to the discrediting, devaluing, and shaming of a person because of characteristics or attributes that they possess. Generally, stigma leads to negative social experiences such as isolation, rejection, marginalization, and discrimination. If related to a health condition such as mental illness, stigma may affect a person’s illness and treatment course, including access to appropriate and professional medical treatment. Stigma has also been reported to affect patients’ families or relatives, along with professionals who work in mental healthcare settings. Stigma is strongly influenced by cultural and contextual value systems that differ over time and across contexts. However, limited information is available on how types of stigma are experienced by patients with mental illness and mental health nurses in Indonesia. Method We explored the stigma-related experiences of 15 nurses and 15 patients in Indonesia. The study design and analysis of interview data were guided by deductive (directed) content analysis. Results Five themes emerged. Four themes were patient-related: personal/patients’ stigma, public/social stigma, family stigma, and employment stigma. The fifth theme related to stigma toward healthcare professionals working with patients with mental illnesses, which we categorized as professional stigma. Conclusions This study has achieved a deep understanding of the concept of stigma in the Indonesian context. This understanding is a prerequisite for developing appropriate interventions that address this phenomenon and thereby for the development of mental health services in Indonesia. This study may also be transferable to other countries that share similar cultural backgrounds and adhere to traditional and religious value systems.

Autism in Saudi Arabia: Media and the Medical Model of Disability

“…Stigmatisation can be de ned as an adverse reaction to a dissimilarity perceived as di erent [5]. Stigmatisation content associated with disabilities, mental conditions, ethnicity, race, and religion is manifested through media leading to stereotypes and the community's stigma attitudes towards anything di erent [6].…”

‘He was a brilliant student but became mad like his grandfather’: An exploratory investigation on the social perception and stigma against mental health patients in Bangladesh

“…However, the most pressing reason for the delay is social stigma -'a negative stereotyping and prejudice beliefs and discriminatory behaviour towards mental health patients and their families' - [11]. In fact, social stigma from relatives, people, and, in some cases, medical personnel deterred mental health patients from seeking treatment or, in other cases, quitting treatment [12][13][14]. A study in Indonesia suggested different forms of social stigma toward mental health patients and professionals [13].…”

“…In fact, social stigma from relatives, people, and, in some cases, medical personnel deterred mental health patients from seeking treatment or, in other cases, quitting treatment [12][13][14]. A study in Indonesia suggested different forms of social stigma toward mental health patients and professionals [13]. Studies suggest that the labelling as 'non-normal' persons left the patients with a 'feeling of shame;' thus, they avoided social contact and isolated themselves from the community and, to some extent, from family members [12,13,15].…”

“…A study in Indonesia suggested different forms of social stigma toward mental health patients and professionals [13]. Studies suggest that the labelling as 'non-normal' persons left the patients with a 'feeling of shame;' thus, they avoided social contact and isolated themselves from the community and, to some extent, from family members [12,13,15].…”

“…Although many studies have been conducted in countries other than Bangladesh regarding the intensity and consequences of social stigma against mental health patients and their caregivers [11][12][13][15][16][17]; to the best of our knowledge, there is a sheer absence of an empirical study that traces the social stigma confronted by mental health patients and their caregivers in Bangladesh. Hence, this study was designed to explore the mental health patients' and caregivers' experience with stigmatization and suggest strategies to combat societal labelling of people with mental health issues.…”