Public stigma toward mental illness and its correlates among patients diagnosed with schizophrenia

Background: Patients diagnosed with schizophrenia confront high degree of exclusion and prejudice, but the correlates of stigma among these patients have yet to be established.Aims: To assess stigma toward mental illness and its correlates among patients diagnosed with schizophrenia.Methods: A cross-sectional research design was used. One hundred and sixty Jordanian outpatients suffering from schizophrenia completed the study. Participants completed measures of demographic variables, pain intensity, depression and stigma toward mental illness.Results: Participants had a moderate level of perceived public stigma. Gender, age, family income, frequency of relapse, reasons for visit to the psychiatric clinic, perceived physical pain, and severity of depressive symptoms were significantly correlated with stigma toward mental illness. Clinical variables accounted for 15% additional variance above and beyond the 13% variance accounted for by demographic variables.Conclusions: Nurses should consider both demographic and clinical variables when implementing anti-stigma intervention programs for patients with schizophrenia.