Stigma of Mental Illness among Patients with Schizophrenia

Abstract

Objectives: The study aims to explore the stigma of mental illness among schizophrenic patients in governmental psychiatric outpatient in Baghdad and to identify the association between the stigma and some of patients' socio-demographic characteristics.

Methodology: A descriptive analytic design was used on purposive (non probability) sample of 100 schizophrenic outpatients throughout the period between March / November, 2013. The schizophrenic patients were enrolled in this study of out patient psychiatric clinic at Ibn-Rushd Psychiatric Teaching Hospital, Al-Rashad Psychiatric Teaching Hospital and Baghdad Teaching Hospital. Self administrative questionnaire was used by the investigators for the present study. The validity and reliability of the instrument was determined by using through the panel of experts, and internal consistency through the computation of Alpha Correlation Coefficient. The data have been collected through the utilization of the self administrated questionnaire as a mean of data collection except the respondents who are unable to read and write via structured interviewing. Data analysis was employed by applying the Statistical Package for Social Science version 17.0 (SPSS).

Results: The finding of the study showed that the majority of the sample was unemployed, single males, aged between 33-40 years old and graduated of institute or college. They have more than 11 years duration of illness
and admitted 1-3 time in psychiatric hospitals. The schizophrenic patients experience a moderate level of mental
illness stigma. The correlation analysis indicated that there is significant association between stigma with marital
status and with their duration of illness but there is no association with remaining variables.

Conclusion: The study concluded that schizophrenic patients have moderate level of mental illness stigma. Mental illness stigma associated significantly with marital status and the duration of illness for schizophrenic patients.

Recommendations: The study recommended to increase public awareness about mental illness through the anti-stigma campaign and replication of the study on a large sample with more different variables its important.