Older peoples' attitudes to mental illness

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Psychiatry
• Mental Health Services Research

Background:

• Older adults underutilize mental health services despite high prevalence of mental health issues.
• Understanding attitudes toward mental illness in older populations is crucial for improving care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore and compare attitudes toward mental illness in older adults.
• To investigate the relationship between attitudes to mental illness, attitudes to aging, and personal experience.

Main Methods:

• Mixed-methods approach used.
• Comparison of attitudes between clinical and non-clinical older participants.
• Exploration of links between attitudes, experience, and health behaviors.

Main Results:

• Older adults exhibit diverse attitudes toward mental illness, similar to younger populations.
• Negative attitudes toward mental illness correlate with negative attitudes toward aging.
• Clinical participants and those with prior mental illness experience showed more positive attitudes toward mental illness and negative attitudes toward aging.

Conclusions:

• Attitudes toward mental illness and aging are interconnected in older adults.
• Personal experience and psychological self-regulation mediate these attitudes, especially concerning age-associated adversity.
• Findings suggest targeted interventions addressing attitudes may improve mental health service engagement in older populations.