A STUDY OF SOCIAL STIGMA AND DISCRIMINATION AGAINST PEOPLE LIVING WITH MENTAL ILLNESS IN BENUE STATE, NIGERIA
A STUDY OF SOCIAL STIGMA AND DISCRIMINATION AGAINST PEOPLE LIVING WITH MENTAL ILLNESS IN BENUE STATE, NIGERIA
No Thumbnail Available
Date
2021-05
Authors
MPEM, Terungwa
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
Mental healthcare is not given the desired attention like other illnesses in Nigeria. The
existing psychiatric hospitals are only concentrated in the urban areas and laws to
protect the rights of people with mental illness against stigma and discrimination are
ineffective. There is lack of coordinating mechanism to take care of public education on
mental illness. Consequently, people with mental illness and their family members are
therefore left to suffer alone. Furthermore, they also have to contend with the symptoms
of the disease on one hand and the stereotype and prejudice due to misconception about
mental illness on the other. As a result, they internalize public stigma and become
devalued members of the society. This study examined public attitude towards mental
illness. The study examined the prevalence of internalized stigma against people with
mental illness. The study examined the level of discrimination of people living with
mental illness by mental healthcare professionals. The study also examined the stigma
experienced by family members of people with mental illness and the strategies they use
to cope with stigma. The labeling theory of mental illness was adopted as a theoretical
frame work for the study. Data were collected in six selected local government areas in
the State, Benue State University Teaching Hospital, Federal Medical Center Makurdi
and six traditional psychiatric hospitals. A survey questionnaire was administered to
400 members of the public, 468 people living with mental illness, 468 caregivers and 69
mental health care professionals. In-depth Interviews wer e held with people living with
mental illness, their family members and mental health care professionals. Data
collected were analyzed using SPSS version 23. The findings revealed that members of
the public have negative attitude towards mental illness. This was demonstrated
through the unwillingness of members of the public (54.3%) to associate with the
mentally ill, to entrust sensitive tasks like babysitting to them (64.6%) and to marry
persons who had once suffered from mental illness (58.3%). The study also revealed
that 67.9% of the people suffering from mental illness had elevated internalized stigma.
People living with mental illness who received traditional health care had elevated
stigma scores more than those who attended orthodox (t = 4.404, df = 466, sig. 2 tailed
(p) = 000). Nurses and social workers with mean rating of 2.94 and standard deviation
of 0.87, 2.94 and standard deviation of 0.97 respectively exhibited more negative
attitude. It was also revealed through in-depth interviews with people having mental
illness that they took overdose of the drugs from the hospitals to forget about the public
stigma they experienced. It was recommended that government and non-governmental
organizations should embark on public awareness to educate members of the public
about mental illness. It was also recommended that government and non-governmental
organizations should undertake psycho educational programs and counseling targeted
at people with mental illness receiving traditional psychiatric care. Anti-stigma courses
should form an integral part of the training curricular of medical schools. Stigma of
mental illness remains a major challenge to the individual with mental illness, their
family members and the society at large because it affects productivity. Consequently,
concerted effort should be made to end stigmatization and discrimination of mental
illness.
Key words: Stigma, Mental Illness, Internalized Stigma, Public, Family Members,Benue State
Description
A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF POSTGRADUATE STUDIES
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (Ph.D)
DEGREE IN SOCIOLOGY
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIOLOGY,
FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES,
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY,
ZARIA, NIGERIA
Keywords
STUDY,, SOCIAL STIGMA,, DISCRIMINATION,, PEOPLE LIVING WITH MENTAL ILLNESS,, BENUE STATE,, NIGERIA