Impact and differences of illness course perception on the desire for social distance towards people with symptoms of depression or schizophrenia in Hanoi, Vietnam.

Asian J Psychiatr

Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Campus Benjamin Franklin; Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), Anna-Louisa-Karsch-Str. 2, 10178 Berlin, Germany. Electronic address:

Published: April 2020

AI Article Synopsis

  • Public stigma surrounding psychiatric disorders affects treatment, leading to poorer outcomes, particularly evident in how people perceive schizophrenia and depression in Vietnam.
  • A survey conducted in 2013 with 771 participants revealed that 85% identified a person with schizophrenia as mentally ill, compared to only 60% for depression; this stigma was linked to a greater desire for social distance from those with schizophrenia.
  • Prognostic expectations negatively influenced attitudes toward social distance, with negative perceptions about schizophrenia increasing distance desires, while positive views of depression reduced them; this highlights the need for strategies promoting social integration and autonomy for those with mental illnesses.

Article Abstract

Objectives: Public stigma against psychiatric disorders leads to delayed treatment utilization and worsens treatment outcome. This study analyses the impact of expectations regarding the course of illness and attribution as medical illness on the desire for social distance towards schizophrenia and depression in Vietnam.

Methods: In 2013, a survey (n = 771) using unlabelled vignettes either depicting a person with symptoms typical for schizophrenia or major depression was carried out in Hanoi. All respondents had to indicate whether the person was suffering from a medical illness or not. As an indicator of public stigma, the desire for social distance was measured. A possible correlation between expectations towards the course of illness and social distance was evaluated using a linear regression model.

Results: 85 % of respondents endorsed that the person depicted in the schizophrenia vignette had a mental illness, compared to only 60 %, who were confronted with the depression vignette. This attribution of mental illness was correlated with higher levels of desire for social distance only in the schizophrenia vignette. While in the case of schizophrenia negative prognostic perceptions were associated with more desire for social distance, in the event of depression, it was only the expectation of lifelong dependency. Moreover, only for depression, positive expectations towards the course of illness correlated with less desire for social distance.

Conclusion: These results indicate an impact of prognostic expectations on the desire for social distance and support strategies that aim at maintaining social integration and strengthening autonomy.

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Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ajp.2020.101973DOI Listing

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