Exploring the use of art interventions in challenging stigmas related to neurological disorders: A scoping review

Stigma remains a major barrier to accessing healthcare for people with neurological disorders. The World Health Organization's Intersectoral Global Action Plan on epilepsy and other neurological disorders urges all member countries to have at least one functioning awareness campaign for neurological disorders by 2031. Art has emerged as a valuable tool for social change with previous success in highly stigmatised disorders. This review aims to understand the effectiveness of art-based interventions in reducing stigma related to neurological disorders.

A scoping review was conducted on three databases (PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase); from inception to October 2024. Data relevant to the study's aims were extracted and underwent narrative synthesis to develop key themes and patterns across the included studies.

After removing duplicates, 9,992 articles were screened with 24 articles identified for inclusion. Studies were predominantly from high-income settings (63%) and addressed stigma in dementia (38%), epilepsy (42%), and stroke (21%). Included studies targeted young children through to older adults. The most common form of art was videos (38%) which were predominantly short and educational, followed by visual arts (42%) which included short films, adverts, and use of images, and dance and theatre (25%). Art was used to change attitudes and perceptions (71%), raise awareness and enhance knowledge (54%), and influence emotions and behaviour (46%).

This review highlighted that art-based interventions effectively contributed to stigma reduction by addressing misinformation, challenging prejudices, and encouraging supportive actions but data from low resource settings were scarce. Interventions prioritising the direct interactions between a small number of the public and people with lived experience seemed particularly effective, however, the potential for theatre productions and digital media to target a larger audience should be considered.