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Predictors And Outcomes Of Patient Stigma Perception Appraisal: Developing And Testing Of A Dynamic Stigma Model Of Mental Illness, Sebastian Kwadwo Gyamfi

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Background

The psychosocial perspectives of stigma have been explored over the years. However, research that encompasses the study of stigma as a socio-cultural, religious, and moral phenomenon is lacking. This study aimed to develop and test a Dynamic Stigma Model of Mental illness (DYSMO) among a cohort of Outpatients receiving care in Ghana.

Methods

The study examined hypothesized relationships within a newly developed stigma model using structural equation modeling techniques. A non-probabilistic convenience sampling technique was used to recruit 330 participants at the Out-Patient Department of two psychiatric hospitals in Southern Ghana.

Results

Confirmatory factor analysis produced a final model …

"Pain Is What The Patient Says It Is": A Secondary Analysis Of Nurses’ Reflections On The Term Pain Catastrophizing, Riana Longo

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Background: Pain catastrophizing is a widely used concept; however, many have argued that it delegitimizes and decontextualizes patients’ pain experiences. Previous studies identified that patients and clinicians think the term is stigmatizing; however, nurses’ perceptions are underrepresented. Nurses offer a unique perspective that is critical to explore to foster positive change and improve patient outcomes. Objectives: This thesis aims to summarize the current literature on pain catastrophizing perspectives from clinicians and patients, analyze nurses’ perspectives, and uncover any underlying issues with the term itself. Methods: This thesis consisted of a two-stage design. The first study is a scoping review that …

Through An Equity Lens: Illuminating The Relationships Among Social Inequities, Stigma And Discrimination, And Patient Experiences Of Emergency Health Care, Colleen Varcoe, Annette J. Browne, Vicky Bungay, Nancy Perrin, Erin Wilson, C.Nadine Wathen, David Byres, Elder Roberta Price

Nursing Publications

People who experience the greatest social inequities often have poor experiences in emergency departments (EDs) so that they are deterred from seeking care, leave without care complete, receive inadequate care, and/or return repeatedly for unre- solved problems. However, efforts to measure and monitor experiences of care rarely capture the experiences of people facing the greatest inequities, experiences of discrimination, or relationships among these variables. This analysis examined how patients’ experiences, including self-reported ratings of care, experiences of discrimination, and repeat visits vary with social and economic circumstances. Every consecutive person presenting to three diverse EDs was invited if/when they were …

Structural Distress: Experiences Of Moral Distress Related To Structural Stigma During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Javeed Sukhera, Chetana Kulkarni, Taryn Taylor

Paediatrics Publications

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a significant toll on the health of structurally vulnerable patient populations as well as healthcare workers. The concepts of structural stigma and moral distress are important and interrelated, yet rarely explored or researched in medical education. Structural stigma refers to how discrimination towards certain groups is enacted through policy and practice. Moral distress describes the tension and conflict that health workers experience when they are unable to fulfil their duties due to circumstances outside of their control. In this study, the authors explored how resident physicians perceive moral distress in relation to structural stigma. …

Structural Distress: Experiences Of Moral Distress Related To Structural Stigma During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Javeed Sukhera, Chetana Kulkarni, Taryn Taylor

Obstetrics & Gynaecology Publications

INTRODUCTION: The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a significant toll on the health of structurally vulnerable patient populations as well as healthcare workers. The concepts of structural stigma and moral distress are important and interrelated, yet rarely explored or researched in medical education. Structural stigma refers to how discrimination towards certain groups is enacted through policy and practice. Moral distress describes the tension and conflict that health workers experience when they are unable to fulfil their duties due to circumstances outside of their control. In this study, the authors explored how resident physicians perceive moral distress in relation to structural stigma. …

The Impact Of Locus Of Control And Substance Abuse On Attitudes Towards Mental Illness, Emma Kapteyn

Brescia Psychology Undergraduate Honours Theses

The current study investigated whether individuals with an internal locus of control would have more stigmatizing attitudes towards mental illness compared to those with an external locus of control, with more pronounced negative attitudes towards mental illness and comorbid substance use compared to mental illness only. Sixty undergraduate students completed Rotter’s Internal-External Locus of Control Scale (Rotter, 1966a) and The Big Five Inventory (John & Srivastava, 1999) to assess aspects of personality. Participants’ attitudes were assessed by randomly assigning them to one of two vignettes: a man with mental illness only and a man with mental illness and comorbid substance …

Exploring The Mental Health Experiences Of African, Caribbean, And Black Youth In London, Ontario, Lily Yosieph

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This qualitative study explores the mental health experiences of African, Caribbean, and Black (ACB) youth in London, Ontario, investigating how the factors of race, gender, culture, and place have shaped their perceptions and experiences of mental health. The data collection and analysis were conducted using a phenomenological approach and a critical lens informed by feminist, intersectionality, and critical race theories. These data illuminate the ways in which these young people’s attitudes toward mental health and help-seeking strategies are impacted by broader social constructs and community expectations, which they navigate and often resist in their everyday lives. Their insights can provide …

Case 4: Journeying Together—Unlearning Is The New Learning, Annette Chrzaniecki, Yoshith Perera, Shannon L. Sibbald

Western Public Health Casebooks

Immigration plays an integral part in the development of multiculturalism within Canada, with the majority of immigrants representing visible minority communities. Research shows Canada’s newest settlers are more likely to experience health disparities and inequalities compared to non-indigenous and Canadian-born residents. Research further indicates that the access and quality of health services is commonly compromised when health care and/or service providers do not respond appropriately to language and cultural factors impacting newcomer health. Communities vary in culture, traditions, and language, however, are often grouped together. One approach will not fit all with the cultural and ethnic differences within these communities. …

“It's All Window Dressing:” Canadian Police Officers' Perceptions Of Mental Health Stigma In Their Workplace, Lesley J. Bikos

Sociology Publications

Purpose: This study will provide a preliminary, general overview of Canadian police officers’ perception of stigma toward mental illness in their workplace culture and its impacts.

Design/methodology/approach: This study uses a mixed methods approach with two nationwide datasets: a self-report survey (N=727) and 116 semi-structured interviews with police officers from 31 police services. Results are grounded in theories of stigma, masculinities, and organizational culture.

Findings: Results indicate that most officers believe stigma toward mental illness in their workplace remains, despite senior management messaging and program implementation. Reporting mental illness was often seen as high risk, both personally and professionally. Policewomen, …

Examining Geographic And Social Barriers To Hiv Treatment Adherence In Kampala, Uganda, Gabrielle Bruser

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

With the rapid expansion of HIV treatment programs across sub-Saharan Africa, substantial progress has been made towards universal treatment accessibility in Uganda; however, new healthcare challenges have been emerging, such as the development of drug-resistant HIV, which threaten to undermine achievements made thus far. In order for HIV treatment to be effective, people living with HIV (PLWH) must be highly adherent without missing a single dose, which can be challenging for those also facing difficulties such as financial insecurity. In the context of Kampala, Uganda’s urban capital, it has been suggested that healthcare accessibility is made difficult by several physical …

Post-Secondary Students’ Perceptions Of Mental Health Messages Conveyed By Video Storytelling And Informational Approaches, Hung Quang Huynh

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This study’s aim was to examine how Western students perceive mental health messages conveyed by video storytelling and informational approaches. In focus group discussions, participants’ perceptions of help seeking behaviors were unchanged by either approach. However, discussions suggested that messages enhanced understanding and awareness, which potentially reduced stigma. Participants who watched the storytelling videos asserted that they were open and receptive to the messages and expressed perceptual changes. Four facilitators appeared to contribute to effective mental health messages: diversity; explicit instructions; shift toward understanding societal and biological causes of mental health conditions; and a combination of storytelling and information. Future …

The Effects Of Infertility On Female Vocalist Identity, Laura Curtis

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This phenomenological research study explores the impact on female singers’ musical and gender identities when confronted with the socially stigmatized issue of infertility. Participants include women actively involved in singing (N=2), who have experienced the phenomenon of infertility. Participants were recruited primarily through the social media platform of Facebook and participated in three one-hour personal, semi-structured interviews over the course of six weeks. Interview transcripts were analyzed to isolate recurring themes within the narratives. While each participant’s experience with infertility was unique, analysis revealed a common tendency for life course alteration due to their experiences with infertility. These …

Understanding Stigma, Secrecy, And Sex In Cnm Relationships, Rhonda Balzarini

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Scholars have posited that the family system is becoming more diversified with increases in same-sex, mixed sex, and consensually non-monogamous relationships. While same-sex and mixed-sex relationships have received considerable attention, public and academic interest in consensually non-monogamous relationships have increased dramatically. Yet despite increased interest, little is known about the ways in which relationships with various partners in non-monogamous relationships differ, whether differences that emerge are influenced by experiences of stigma or the desired role of different partners, whether stigma was driven by one’s relationship orientation, and how individual’s sexual attitudes impact the decision to pursue consensually non-monogamous arrangements. This …

Examining Stigma Among Preservice Teachers Following The Completion Of A Mental Health Literacy Course, Nella Cautillo

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This research examined whether a mental health literacy course for preservice teachers reduced mental health stigma and whether there were any meaningful differences in stigma based on gender, BEd program, previous degree, and previous learning about mental health. Preservice teachers from X University participated in a mental health literacy course for ten weeks, which involved education about various topics related to mental health. The teachers were asked to complete a pre-test (N=263) at the start of the course, which included an Opening Minds Stigma Scale (Modgill, Patten, Knaak, Kassam, & Szeto, 2014), measuring mental health stigma. Similarly, the teachers were …

Barriers And Facilitators To Positive Mental Health On A University Campus, Sheldon Hill

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The prevalence of mental health concerns among university students is well-documented and students accessing campus supports appear to be increasing. The objective of the current study was to gain a holistic and thorough perspective of the facilitators and barriers affecting positive mental health from the undergraduate student perspective. Data collected via an online form asked students about their current perspectives of mental health at an institutional level. A thematic analysis was performed and four overall themes were identified: trust in and quality of services, validation of mental health concerns, institutional procedures and environment, and stigma. The various themes and factors …

A Proof Of Concept Study: Raising Awareness Of Mental Illness And Dispelling Stigma In Rural Kenya Through An Advocacy Incubator, Richelle Bird, Stephanie Huff, Paula Njoki, Lanoi Siyomit, Alamin Suleiman, Arlene Macdougall, David Ndetei

Community, Equity, Gender

No abstract provided.

A Novel Approach To Mental Health Recovery: Family Empowerment Program In Rural Kenya, G. Mhapankar, C. Nakeyar, M. Muniu, S. Mohammed, S. Rodger, V. Mutiso, A. Macdougall

Community, Equity, Gender

No abstract provided.

'The Environment Says It's Okay': The Tension Between Peer Support And Police Culture, Cindy Hohner

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This study evaluates the implementation and subsequent operation of a peer support program in a Canadian police service. Data was collected from an online survey, available to the police service for a period of one year, and 16 in-depth interviews with peer support team members. There is very little data on police peer support programs in the literature. Thus, the purpose of the survey was to gain an understanding of what issues members believe a peer support program should address, the circumstances under which they would seek help from the peer support program, and the reasons they may or may …

Discrimination And Health: Measurement And Impacts On Ontario’S Transgender Communities, Ayden I. Scheim

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Discrimination may contribute to poorer health outcomes experienced by non-dominant social groups. While discrimination and health research has flourished over the past two decades, little attention has been paid to the assessment of multiple forms of discrimination, nor to the health effects of discrimination for transgender persons in Canada. Therefore, this thesis examines the impacts of discrimination on health behaviours among transgender persons in Ontario and develops a new instrument set for evaluating self-reported discrimination irrespective of attribution, the Intersectional Discrimination Index (InDI). The first four manuscripts draw on data from the Trans PULSE Project, a respondent-driven sampling survey of …

Labelling Of Mental Illness In A Paediatric Emergency Department And Its Implications For Stigma Reduction Education, Javeed Sukhera, Kristina Miller, Alexandra Milne, Christina Scerbo, Rodrick Lim, Alicia Cooper, Chris Watling

Paediatrics Publications

Introduction: Stigmatizing attitudes and behaviours towards patients with mental illness have negative consequences on their health. Despite research regarding educational and social contact-based interventions to reduce stigma, there are limitations to the success of these interventions for individuals with deeply held stigmatizing beliefs. Our study sought to better understand the process of implicit mental illness stigma in the setting of a paediatric emergency department to inform the design of future educational interventions. Methods: We conducted a qualitative exploration of mental illness stigma with interviews including physician, nurse, service user, caregiver and administrative staff participants (n = 24). We utilized the …

Case 10 : Moving Towards An Inclusive Society: Implementing Epilepsy Awareness Education In The Ontario Elementary School Health Curriculum, Joanne Tay, Michelle Franklin, Mary Secco, Shannon L. Sibbald

Western Public Health Casebooks

This case revolves around the stigma experienced by individuals living with epilepsy. It discusses how Martha, a strategic planner at the Epilepsy Support Centre in London, Ontario, identified the negative health and social implications that confront individuals living with epilepsy. It then sets the stage in terms of problems faced by children and adolescents with epilepsy who are living in London, Ontario, and in terms of public health issues, school boards and government, and future directions. As this is a new initiative that is designed to be introduced into the school curriculum, it is crucial to have appropriate and influential …

Beyond Burnout: Educators' Experiences Of Mental Health Issues, And Stigma In The Workplace, Jenny Kassen

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This study examines Ontario teachers’ experiences of mental issues (MHI) and identity management in the workplace. Although numerous local and national initiatives exist to help raise awareness, decrease stigma, and assist teachers in supporting students with MHI, there appears to be an absence of literature that focuses on teachers' personal experiences with MHI and stigma in their professional environment. Two theoretical frameworks, Framework Integrating Normative Influences on Stigma (FINIS) (Pescosolido, Martin, Lang, & Olafsdottir, 2008), and Jones and King’s (2014) Managing stigmatized identities in the workplace, provide a lens for making meaning of the experiences of the participants. A …

A Mixed Methods Approach To Challenging Stigma At A Faculty Of Education, Melanie-Anne P. Atkins

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This dissertation investigates the stigma of mental illness in schools. In today’s Canadian classrooms, at least one in five students is experiencing a mental disorder, which without treatment or support can severely impede students’ academic performance and can reinforce stereotypical beliefs about: (a) these students’ ability to be successful in the classroom, and (b) their teachers’ abilities to meet their needs. While mental health awareness about these issues is steadily increasing, stigmatizing attitudes – which present a major barrier to help-seeking – are not decreasing at a comparable rate. Therefore, I used mixed methods to explore the experience of mental …

Effects Of Value Reasoning On Stigmatization Of People With Schizophrenia, Yixian Li

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Effective interventions are much needed to reduce stigma against those with mental illness. Two experimental studies were conducted to examine the effectiveness of value-based reasoning interventions in reducing mental illness stigma, and the extent to which relationships between values and social distance are mediated by attitudes and subjective norms. In study 1, writing about reasons related to values was found ineffective in influencing responses to a hypothetical person with schizophrenia. In study 2, there was some evidence suggesting that considering why self-transcendence values are more important than self-enhancement values led to more positive attitudes towards behaviors reflecting less social distance …

Madness In The Media: Understanding How People With Lived Experience Interpret Newspaper Headlines, Da Qing Wang

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

There is research on media representations of mental health that suggests there is a tendency to portray mental health as problematic and those who are affected by mental illness as dangerous. It is evident there has been an increase in anti-stigma media campaigns. However, the effects of these efforts on beliefs held by members of the public has been mixed. What is most surprising from the literature is a lack of research about how people who have personal experience with mental illness interpret media messages. Individuals with and without lived experience participated in a structured conceptualization process known as concept …

The Epidemic Of Mental And Neurological Health, Mohsyn I. Malik

Psychology Publications

This paper composes an image of modern mental and neurological health issues and looks to draw links to the current epidemic based on research and studies found online the internet and off-line. The goal is to examine what may be the underlying problem for a lot of these increases in mental health issues and neurodegenerative diseases and what are some promising clinical and sociocultural advances that may help. It explores problems such as the negative impact of the pharmaceutical giants, the increase in apathy in the work place and the general stigma towards mental disease. Through current research, the use …

Mediators Of Change In The Stigmatization Of Depression Among Caucasian And Asian Populations, Francois B. Botha

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Public stigma negatively impacts public health by discouraging people with depression from seeking help. In North America, Asians reliably report higher levels of stigma and lower levels of help-seeking than do Caucasians. The reasons for this discrepancy and possible methods of reducing this have, however, rarely been explored. In Study 1, undergraduate students (n = 573) completed several questionnaires related to public stigma, values and ideological beliefs, attitudes and beliefs regarding people with depression and perceived norms. At least one week afterward, participants completed the second part of Study 1, where they were presented with contrived articles highlighting a …

"Being Stuck": Understanding The Health-Related And Everyday Lived Experiences Of Young Mothers In Rexdale, Ontario Through A Social Determinants Framework, Jaspreet Kaur

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of the ways the health-related and everyday lived experiences of young mothers are shaped by various social determinants, and in the context of their neighbourhood. Using a critical qualitative methodology, five mothers between the ages of 17 to 19 were interviewed from Rexdale, a neighbourhood in the City of Toronto characterized by a number of social risk factors(e.g. high rates of visible minorities, unemployment, and teen mothers). In-depth thematic analysis led to the emergence of four themes: 1) Living in Rexdale: Representations and realities; 2) Leaving Rexdale and wanting something …

Reducing Epilepsy-Related Stigma: Teachers' Implementation Of An Epilepsy Education Program, Gayle Michelle Gibson

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This thesis presents an investigation of teachers’ implementation of Brain Matters, an education program designed to reduce the stigma associated with epilepsy. Five local Grade 12 Biology teachers were interviewed to examine their implementation and consistent with previous research, a multilevel ecological framework was used to understand the factors affecting their implementation. The findings indicate that there were three factors that worked to either facilitate or limit teachers’ implementation of Brain Matters: pedagogical content knowledge and beliefs, characteristics of the resource, and professional development. The results of this study offer developers of stigma-reduction programs insight into the challenges …

‘It Had To Be My Choice’ Indigenous Smoking Cessation And Negotiations Of Risk, Resistance And Resilience, Chelsea Bond, Mark Brough, Geoffrey Spurling, Noel Hayman

Aboriginal Policy Research Consortium International (APRCi)

While Australia is considered a world leader in tobacco control, smoking rates within the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population have not declined at the same rate. This failure highlights an obvious shortcoming of mainstream anti- smoking efforts to effectively understand and engage with the socio-cultural context of Indigenous smoking and smoking cessation experiences. The purpose of this article is to explore the narrative accounts of 20 Indigenous ex-smokers within an urban community and determine the motivators and enablers for successful smoking cessation. Our findings indicated that health risk narratives and the associated social stigma produced through anti-smoking campaigns formed …