Magnitude of Perceived Public Stigma on Youths’ Attitude Toward Seeking Mental Health Treatment; St. Amanuel Mental Specialized Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
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Date
2022-11-01
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Mental health is considered as the vital asset to human health and wellbeing. Stigma toward mental illness is one of the leading reasons individuals with mental illness do not seek treatment for their conditions. This study aimed to study the magnitude of perceived public stigma on youths’ attitude toward seeking mental health treatment at St Amanuel Mental Specialized Hospital in Addis Ababa. A Hospital-based cross-sectional study design was conducted and quantitative data were collected by interviewing psychiatric outpatients seeking treatment at the St. Amanuel Mental Specialized Hospital. The dependent variable youth’s attitude toward seeking mental health treatment were assessed by attitudes toward seeking professional help scale: short form (ATSPPHS-SF). Perceived public stigma were assessed by using the perceived devaluation discrimination (PDD) scale. After all necessary data are obtained, entered into and cleaned with SPSS version 22.00. Then univariate, bivariate and multiple linear regression analysis are carried out. The results indicate that, the magnitude of high perceived public stigma was found 55.7% and negative attitude towards mental health treatment was 79.6%. The result of bivariate analyses on this study found, participants’ sex, age, marital status, educational level, occupation and public stigma had statistically significant association with youths’ attitude toward seeking mental health treatment. Notably, the study depicted that perceived public stigma and ever-married youths’ has negatively associated with attitude toward seeking mental health treatment in multiple analyses (B=-0.609; 95%CI:-0.328, -0.189 and B=-0.235; 95%CI:-3.454, -0.605). That means youths’ who have faced public stigma and who have experienced marriage were less likely to be seeking mental health treatment. Regarding the other associated socio-demographic factors, this study found that there were significant positive relationships between youths' attitude toward seeking mental health treatment and secondary education, professionals, and youths with elementary occupation in multiple linear regression (B=0.310; 95%CI: 0.256-4.797 and B=0.300; 95%CI: 0.720-5.715 and B=0.194; 95%CI: 0.218-4.626). Generally, the magnitude of perceived public stigma on youths’ attitude toward seeking mental health treatment in the study setting was found high that coupled with association of many independent variables. This needs collaborative effort of all stakeholders and appropriate factor specific interventions
Keywords: Public stigma, attitude toward seeking mental health treatment, St. Amanuel Mental Specialized Hospital
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Keywords
Public stigma, attitude toward seeking mental health treatment, St. Amanuel Mental Specialized Hospital