Relationship between perceived stigma and depression severity.

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between perceived stigma and being in treatment for depression and current depression severity. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with a convenience sample of depressed subjects from a Veterans Administration outpatient mental health clinic (N = 54) and never-depressed subjects from a Veterans Administration primary care clinic (N = 50). Depression severity was measured using the 9-item Primary Care Evaluation of Mental Disorders depression measure.