Demographic Determinants of Public Perceptions of Mental Illness in Heterogeneous Communities of Lagos State Nigeria

Authors

  • Akpunne Bede C Department of behavioral studies, redeemers university Nigeria.
  • Uzonwanne Francis C

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14738/assrj.21.575

Keywords:

Public perceptions, mental illness, heterogeneous communities, Nigeria.

Abstract

Social responses to mental illness depend on factors such as the type of disorder, impact on social function, and cultural concepts and presumptions about the illness. Attitudes toward mental illness are different among families, ethnic groups, individuals, cultures, and countries and are often influenced by the cultural and religious teachings. There is a dearth of research on public perceptions of mental illness in heterogeneous Nigerian communities. A cross-sectional design was used. 210 adults randomly selected from six heterogeneous communities responded to perception of mental illness test (PerMIT) (acceptable reliability coefficient (Cronbach Alpha of .74). There was no observed significant difference in gender, age, educational background, and occupation. Significant difference was however observed in religion. The prevailing culture and misguided societal conclusions which stigmatize mental illness has overbearing influence on peoples’ perception and attitude towards mental illness. Educational interventions and public enlightenment campaigns that debunk misconceptions about mental illness as well as encourage contact with affected persons could play a role in reducing stigma among Nigerians.

 

References

Adewuya, A.O., Makanjuola R.O.A.,(2008). Social distance towards people with mental illness in Southwestern Nigeria. Australian New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry. Vol. 42 no. 5 389-395

Adewuya, A.O., Erinfolami, A.O., Ola, B.A., (2011). Correlates of self-stigma among outpatients with mental illness in Lagos, Nigeria. Int. Journal of Social Psychiatry Vol. 57 no. 4 418-427

Audu, I.A, Idris, S.H, Olisah, V.O, & Sheikh, T.L, (2013).Stigmatization of people with mental illness among inhabitants of a rural community in northern Nigeria. International Journal of social psychiatry Vol. 59 no. 1 55-60

Bener, A & Ghuloum, S. (2011) Gender differences in the knowledge, attitude and practice towards mental health illness in a rapidly developing Arab society. Intentional Journal of Social Psychiatry Vol. 57 no. 5 480-486

Canadian Mental Health Association (2006). Understanding mental illness. Available online at:"http://www.cmha.ca/bins/content_page.asp?cid=3&lang=1"lang=1

Clay, L (2012),”Stigma hurts job prospects”. Sydney Morning Herald.

Corrigan, P. W. (2004), "Target-Specific Stigma Change: A Strategy for Impacting Mental IllnessStigma," Psychiatric rehabilitation journal, Vol. 28, No. 2, pp. 113–121.

Corrigan, P.W., Watson, A.C., & Barr, L. (2006). The Self-stigma of Mental Illness: Implications for Self-esteem and Self-efficacy. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 25, 875-884.

Corrigan, P. W., Green, A., Lundin, R., Kubiak, M. A., & Penn, D. L. (2001). Familiarity withand social distance from people who have serious mental illness. Psychiatric Services, 52, 953–958.

Coverdale, J.; Nairn, R; Claasen, D, (2002). "Depictions of mental illness in print media: A prospective national sample". Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry 36 (5): 697–700.

Diefenbach, D.L. (1997). "The portrayal of mental illness on prime-time television". Journal of Community Psychology 25 (3): 289–302.

Dogra N., Omigbodun, O., Adedokun, T. , Bella, T, Ronzoni, P., & Adesokan, A., (2012). Nigerian secondary school children’s knowledge of and attitudes to mental health and illness. Clinical Child Psychology Psychiatry vol. 17 no. 3 336-353

Edney, R.D. (2004). Mass Media and Mental Illness: a literature review. Canadian Mental Health Association

Gureje O, Lasebikan V.O , Ephraim-Oluwanuga O. , & Olley. B O., (2005). Community study of knowledge of and attitude to mental illness in Nigeria. The British Journal of Psychiatry 186: 436-441 doi: 10.1192/bjp.186.5.436

Heather S., (2006). "Mental illness and employment discrimination". Current Opinion in Psychiatry 19 (5): 522–6.

Ikwuka,U , Galbraith, N & Nyatanga, L , (2014). Causal attribution of mental illness in south-eastern Nigeria, Int Journal of Social Psychiatry May 2014 vol. 60 no. 3 274-279

Mamah, D, Striley, C.W., Ndetei, D.M., Mbwayo ,A.W., Mutiso.V.N., Khasakhala, L.I., & Cottler, L.B., (2013). Knowledge of psychiatric terms and concepts among Kenyan youth: Analysis of focus group discussions. Transcultural Psychiatry,Vol. 50 no. 4 515-531

Mental Health Foundation, (2000) Mental Illness a global crisis, London.www.mentalhealth.org.uk/mental.illness

National Institute of Mental Health, (2009). “A vision for the future”. Mental health: A report for the Surgeon General. Pp. 451-8. ISBN978-0-16-050300-9

Ng, C.H., (1997). The Stigma of Mental Illness in Asian Cultures. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 31: p. 382-390.)

Nguyen A. (2013) Cultural and Social Attitudes Towards Mental Illness in Ho Chi Minh City,

O'driscoll, C., Heary, C., Hennessy, E., & Mckeague, L. (2012). Explicit and implicit stigma towards peers with mental health problems in childhood and adolescence. Journal of Child Psychology & Psychiatry, 53(10), 1054–1062.

President’s New Freedom Commission on Mental Health. (2003). Achieving the Promise:Transforming Mental Health Care in America. Rockville, MD: Author.

Ronzoni, P., Dogra, N., Omigbodun, O., Bella,T., & Atitola, O., (2010). Stigmatization of mental illness among nigerian schoolchildren, Int. Journal of Social Psychiatry Vol. 56 no. 5 507-514

Scheffer, R. (2003). Addressing Stigma: Increasing public understanding of mental illness.Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.

Spencer, R. (2003) “China relaxes laws on love and marriage” The Telegraph. Retrieved 24 October 2013

Stanford, M.S. (2007). "Demon or disorder: A survey of attitudes toward mental illness in the Christian church". Mental Health, Religion & Culture 10 (5): 445–9

Vidojević I.M., Ðurić Joči, D., & Tošković, O., (2012). Comparative study of experienced and anticipated stigma in Serbia and the world Int. Journal of Social Psychiatry, Vol. 58 no. 4 355-361

Wahl, O.F. (2003). News media portrayal of mental illness. American Behavioral Scientist, 46, 1594–1600.

World Health Organisation, (2010); Mental Health and the Global Discourse; www.who.int

Yen, C., Chen, C., Lee, Y., Tang ,T., Yen J., & Ko C., (2005). Self-Stigma and Its Correlates among Outpatients with Depressive Disorders. Psychiatric Services, 56, 599-601.

Downloads

Published

2015-01-28

How to Cite

Bede C, A., & Francis C, U. (2015). Demographic Determinants of Public Perceptions of Mental Illness in Heterogeneous Communities of Lagos State Nigeria. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 2(1). https://doi.org/10.14738/assrj.21.575