Reducing the stigma of mental health disorders with a focus on low- and middle-income countries

Dados Bibliográficos

ID23345360
AutoresAfzal Javed (0000-0003-2518-0688, Pakistan Health Research Council, autor correspondente), Cheng Lee (0000-0002-1116-4364, Institute of Mental Health), Roza Hazli Zakaria (0000-0003-1922-4621, National Stroke Association of Malaysia), Hazli Zakaria, Robert D Buenaventura (0000-0002-8285-7993), Marcelo Cetkovich-Bakmas, Marcelo Cetkovich (0000-0001-6822-1406, Favaloro University), Kalil Duailibi (0000-0002-1981-9089, Universidade de Santo Amaro), Bernardo Ng (0000-0002-6639-4765, University of California San Diego), Hisham Ramy (0000-0002-1823-8733, Ain Shams University), Gautam Saha (0009-0002-2569-3176, Indian Institute of Chemical Biology), Shams Arifeen, Paola M Elorza (0000-0002-0092-8357, Pfizer (United States)), Priyan Ratnasingham, Muhammad Waqar Azeem (0000-0002-9390-0950, Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar)
Ano2021
Volume58
Páginas102601
Data de publicação2021-04-01
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoAsian Journal of Psychiatry (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 1876-2018 • E-ISSN: 1876-2026
EditoraElsevier BV (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1016/j.ajp.2021.102601
PMID33611083
OpenAlexW3129657225
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas72
Referências citadas54

Mental health disorders are a burgeoning global public health challenge, and disproportionately affect the poor. Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) bear 80 % of the mental health disease burden. Stigma associated with mental health results in delayed help seeking, reduced access to health services, suboptimal treatment, poor outcomes and an increased risk of individuals' human rights violations. Moreover, widespread co-occurrence of physical comorbidities such as noncommunicable diseases with mental health disorders makes the treatment of both conditions challenging and worsens prognosis. This paper explores various aspects of stigma towards mental health with a focus on LMICs and assesses measures to increase help-seeking and access to and uptake of mental health services. Stigma impacts persons living with mental illness, their families and caregivers and healthcare professionals (mental health professionals, non-psychiatric specialists and general practitioners) imparting mental health care. Cultural, socio-economic and religious factors determine various aspects of mental health in LMICs, ranging from perceptions of health and illness, health seeking behavior, attitudes of the individuals and health practitioners and mental health systems. Addressing stigma requires comprehensive and inclusive mental health policies and legislations; sustainable and culturally-adapted awareness programs; capacity building of mental health workforce through task-shifting and interprofessional approaches; and improved access to mental health services by integration with primary healthcare and utilizing existing pathways of care. Future strategies targeting stigma reduction must consider the enormous physical comorbidity burden associated with mental health, prioritize workplace interventions and importantly, address the deterioration of population mental health from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Developing country · Economic growth · Family medicine · Focus (optics) · Low and middle income countries · Mental health · Psychiatry · Social stigma · Stigma (botany) · Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development · Medicine · Mental Health Treatment and Access · Psychology · Schizophrenia research and treatment