Attitudes to depression and psychiatric medication amid the enduring financial crisis in Attica

Comparison between 2009 and 2014

Datos Bibliográficos

ID19275263
AutoresMarina Economou (0000-0002-6742-4348, University Mental Health Research Institute, Athens, Greece, autor de correspondencia), Lily Evangelia Peppou (University Mental Health Research Institute, Athens, Greece), Lily Εvangelia Peppou (University Mental Health Research Institute), Kyriakos Souliotis (0000-0003-1624-9444, University of Peloponnese), Helen Lazaratou (0000-0003-0019-3191, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens), Konstantinos Kontoangelos (0000-0001-7746-3909, University Mental Health Research Institute, Athens, Greece), Sofia Nikolaidi (0000-0002-0937-7125, University Mental Health Research Institute, Athens, Greece), Alexandra Palli (0000-0002-3499-5224, University Mental Health Research Institute, Athens, Greece), Costas Stefanis (University Mental Health Research Institute), Costas N Stefanis (University Mental Health Research Institute, Athens, Greece)
Año2019
Volumen65
Número6
Páginas479-487
Fecha de publicación2019-09-01
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaInternational Journal of Social Psychiatry (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 0020-7640 • E-ISSN: 1741-2854
EditorialSAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/0020764019858653
PMID31250687
OpenAlexW2954691449
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas3
Referencias citadas31

BACKGROUND: Only a handful of studies have explored the effect of the financial crisis on public attitudes to mental illness. AIMS: This study examines changes in lay attitudes to depression and psychiatric medication between 2009 and 2014 in Attica region. Furthermore, it explored a potential interaction with employment status. METHODS: Data were drawn from two surveys conducted in 2009 and 2014 using the same sampling procedure, interview mode, and survey instrument. Specifically, a random and representative sample of 586 people was recruited in 2009 and of 604 in 2014. Attitudes to depression were measured by the Personal Stigma subscale of the Depression Stigma Scale and attitudes to psychiatric medication by a self-constructed scale with good psychometric properties. Data collection occurred via telephone. RESULTS: There has been no overall change in lay attitudes to depression. Nonetheless, a positive change was recorded with regard to the belief that depression is a sign of personal weakness and a negative change with respect to people with depression being dangerous. Attitudes to psychiatric medication have worsened during the study period. Employment status was not found to interact with the survey year. CONCLUSION: Anti-stigma efforts should be tailored on counteracting the dangerousness stereotype, while they should prioritize targeting attitudes to psychiatric medication

Depression (economics) · Economics · Financial crisis · Keynesian economics · Psychiatry · Employment and Welfare Studies · Medicine · Mental Health Treatment and Access · Psychology · Schizophrenia research and treatment