scholarly journals Attitudes towards disclosing a mental illness: impact on quality of life and recovery

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lea Mayer ◽  
Patrick W. Corrigan ◽  
Daniela Eisheuer ◽  
Nathalie Oexle ◽  
Nicolas Rüsch
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Social Withdrawal ◽  
Social Consequences ◽  
People With Mental Illness ◽  
High Internal Consistency ◽  
Initial Support ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Purpose The decision whether to disclose a mental illness has individual and social consequences. Secrecy may protect from stigma and discrimination while disclosure can increase social support and facilitate help-seeking. Therefore, disclosure decisions are a key reaction to stigma. The first aim of this study was to test a newly developed scale to measure disclosure attitudes, the Attitudes to Disclosure Questionnaire (AtDQ). The second aim was to examine the impact of attitudes towards disclosing a mental illness on quality of life and recovery. Methods Among 100 participants with mental illness, disclosure attitudes, quality of life, recovery, benefits of disclosure, secrecy, social withdrawal, self-stigma, and depressive symptoms were assessed at weeks 0, 3 and 6. Psychometric properties of the AtDQ were analysed. Longitudinal associations between disclosure attitudes at baseline and quality of life and recovery after 6 weeks were examined in linear regressions. Results The analyses of the AtDQ indicated one-factor solutions, high acceptability, high internal consistency, and good retest reliability for the total scale and the subscales as well as high construct validity of the total scale. Results provided initial support for sensitivity to change. More positive disclosure attitudes in general and in particular regarding to family at baseline predicted better quality of life and recovery after 6 weeks. Conclusion The current study provides initial support for the AtDQ as a useful measure of disclosure attitudes. Disclosing a mental illness, especially with respect to family, may improve quality of life and recovery of people with mental illness.

scholarly journals The relationship between internalized stigma and quality of life among people with mental illness: are self-esteem and sense of coherence sequential mediators?

2017 ◽  
Vol 26 (9) ◽  
pp. 2471-2478 ◽  
Author(s):  
Piotr Świtaj ◽  
Paweł Grygiel ◽  
Anna Chrostek ◽  
Izabela Nowak ◽  
Jacek Wciórka ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Sense Of Coherence ◽  
Psychiatric Treatment ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Internalized Stigma ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
People With Mental Illness ◽  
Sectional Analysis

Abstract Purpose To elucidate the mechanism through which internalized stigma reduces the quality of life (QoL) of people with mental illness by exploring the mediating roles of self-esteem and sense of coherence (SOC). Methods A cross-sectional analysis of 229 patients diagnosed with schizophrenia or affective disorders was undertaken to test a sequential mediation model assuming that more severe internalized stigma is related to lower self-esteem, which is associated with weaker SOC, which in turn relates to worse QoL. Results The proposed model was supported by the data. A sequential indirect effect from internalized stigma to QoL via self-esteem and SOC turned out to be significant [beta = −0.06, SE = 0.02; 95% CI (−0.11, −0.03)]. Support was also found for simple mediation models with either self-esteem or SOC as single mediators between internalized stigma and QoL. Conclusions Self-esteem and SOC are personal resources that should be considered as potential targets of interventions aiming to prevent the harmful consequences of internalized stigma for the QoL of people receiving psychiatric treatment.

TOP CITED PAPERS IN INTERNATIONAL PSYCHOGERIATRICS: 6a. QUALITY OF LIFE FOR PEOPLE WITH DEMENTIA LIVING IN RESIDENTIAL AND NURSING HOME CARE: THE IMPACT OF PERFORMANCE ON ACTIVITIES OF DAILY LIVING, BEHAVIORAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SYMPTOMS, LANGUAGE SKILLS, AND PSYCHOTROPIC DRUGS

2009 ◽  
Vol 21 (6) ◽  
pp. 1026-1030 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Ballard ◽  
M. Margallo-Lana ◽  
J. T. O'Brien ◽  
I. James ◽  
R. Howard ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Psychological Symptoms ◽  
Social Withdrawal ◽  
Care Home ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Nursing Home Care ◽  
People With Dementia ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Behavioral And Psychological Symptoms

The majority of people with dementia develop behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) at some point during their illness (Jeste et al., 2008). These symptoms, which are especially common among care home residents, are frequently distressing for the patients who experience them (Gilley et al., 2006; Jeste et al., 2008) and problematic for their professional and/or family caregivers. The starting point for our paper “Quality of life for people with dementia living in residential and nursing home care: the impact of performance on activities of daily living, behavioral and psychological symptoms, language skills, and psychotropic drugs” (Ballard et al., 2001) was to try and understand the impact of BPSD, function and language skills on quality of life in care home residents with dementia. Although there were frequent statements in previous work referring to the capacity of psychiatric and behavioral symptoms to reduce quality of life, we had been unable to identify any empirical evidence to support this clinical impression in a thorough literature review. The parallel validation of Dementia Care Mapping (DCM), predominantly a practice development tool, as an observational measure of well-being/quality of life (Kitwood and Bredin, 1997; Fossey et al., 2002) provided an excellent opportunity to examine this issue in a care home setting. The study focused on 209 people with dementia living in residential and nursing home care in north-east England in the U.K., who received a detailed assessment of BPSD, function and cognition. A DCM evaluation was completed for 112 of these individuals, providing a detailed observational measure of well-being, activities and social withdrawal as indices of quality of life over a six-hour daytime period. To our surprise, there was actually no association between well-being, social withdrawal or activities and BPSD. In contrast, there was a significant association between antipsychotic medication and reduced well-being, social withdrawal and activities respectively, even after controlling for the severity of behavioral disturbance. Using an arbitrary definition of “ill-being”, defined as a well-being score of less than zero, 5% of people not taking antipsychotics, 10% of people taking atypical antipsychotics and 22% of people taking typical antipsychotics were defined as having ill-being. Lower levels of functional ability were also associated with significantly lower well-being, less activities and more social withdrawal. At first this latter finding appears to be contrary to one of the central principles of DCM – namely, that the assessment should be independent of dementia severity. Although high levels of well-being and engagement are possible for people with severe dementia, this probably requires higher staff numbers and a workforce with more specialized skills in order to achieve this.

scholarly journals A cross-sectional study addressing the importance of work and other everyday activities for well-being among people with mental illness: does additional vulnerability matter?

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa Eklund ◽  
A. Birgitta Gunnarsson ◽  
Jan-Åke Jansson ◽  
Parvin Pooremamali ◽  
Mona Eklund
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Psychosocial Functioning ◽  
Work Experience ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Activity Level ◽  
Environmental Aspects ◽  
People With Mental Illness ◽  
History Of

Abstract Background Work and other everyday activities are beneficial for well-being among people with mental illness, but poor circumstances can create detrimental effects, possibly aggravated by additional vulnerabilities linked with their mental illness. This study aimed to investigate how activity factors were related to well-being and functioning among three vulnerable groups using outpatient mental health care – young people with psychosis, people with a history of substance use disorder (SUD), and immigrants with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) – while controlling for vulnerability group, age and gender. Methods Participants represented the three types of vulnerability (n = 46/57/39). Data collection, using self-report and interviewer-rated questionnaires, concerned aspects of everyday activity (work experiences; views of the worker role; satisfaction with everyday occupations; activity level), well-being (quality of life: life and health; quality of life: environmental aspects; recovery) and functioning (psychosocial functioning; symptom severity). Spearman correlations and General Linear Modelling were used. Results Activity satisfaction was positive (p < 0.001) but recent work experience negative (p = 0.015) for the life and health aspect of quality of life. Activity satisfaction was positive for the environmental aspects of quality of life (p < 0.001). Resources for having a worker role (p < 0.001) and belief in having a future worker role (p = 0.007) were positively associated with better recovery. Activity level (p = 0.001) and resources for having a worker role (p = 0.004) showed positive associations with psychosocial functioning. Belief in a future worker role (p = 0.011) was related with symptom level. Women had less severe symptoms in the young group with psychosis. Regarding vulnerability group, young people with psychosis perceived better quality of life; those with a history of SUD had less severe psychiatric symptoms; and the recent immigrants with PTSD had the highest level of psychosocial functioning. Conclusion Work experience may not be conducive to well-being in itself; it is satisfaction with work and other activities that matters, and worker and employer expectations need alignment. No vulnerability group seemed consistently more disadvantaged regarding well-being and functioning, but the fact that differences existed is vital to acknowledge in activity-based rehabilitation. Inquiring about meaningful activities and providing opportunities for executing them would be a fruitful way of support.

scholarly journals The Impact of Leishmaniasis on Mental Health and Psychosocial Well-being: A Systematic Review

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Malini Pires ◽  
Barry Wright ◽  
Paul M. Kaye ◽  
Virgínia Conceição ◽  
Rachel C. Churchill
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Mental Health ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Cutaneous Leishmaniasis ◽  
Parasitic Disease ◽  
Quality Appraisal ◽  
Kala Azar ◽  
The Impact

ABSTRACTBackgroundLeishmaniasis is a neglected tropical parasitic disease endemic in South Asia, East Africa, South America and the Middle East. It is associated with low socioeconomic status (SES) and responsible for considerable mortality and morbidity. Reports suggest that patients with leishmaniasis may have a higher risk of mental illness (MI), psychosocial morbidity (PM) and reduced quality of life (QoL), but this is not well characterised. The aim of this study was to conduct a systematic review to assess the reported impact of leishmaniasis on mental health and psychosocial wellbeing.MethodsA systematic review of the literature was carried out. Pre-specified criteria were applied to identify publications including observational quantitative studies or systematic reviews. Two reviewers screened all of the titles, abstracts and full-studies and a third reviewer was consulted for disagreements. Data was extracted from papers meeting the criteria and quality appraisal of the methods was performed using the Newcastle-Ottowa Scale or the Risk of Bias in Systematic Review tool.ResultsA total of 14 studies were identified from 12,517 records. Nine cross-sectional, three case-control, one cohort study and one systematic review were included. Eleven assessed MI outcomes and were measured with tools specifically designed for this; nine measured PM and 12 measured QoL using validated measurement tools. Quality appraisal of the studies showed that six were of good quality. Cutaneous leishmaniasis and post kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis showed evidence of associated MI and PM including depression, anxiety and stigma, while all forms of disease showed decreased QoL. The findings were used to inform a proposed model and conceptual framework to show the possible links between leishmaniasis and mental health outcomes.ConclusionThere is evidence that leishmaniasis has an impact on MI, PM or QoL of patients and their families and this occurs in all the main subtypes of the disease. There are however large gaps in the evidence. Further research is required to understand the full extent of this problem and its mechanistic basis.AUTHOR SUMMARYLeishmaniasis is a parasitic disease prevalent in many low-and middle-income countries worldwide. In this study the authors looked for evidence as to whether leishmaniasis affected the mental health and quality of life of patients. To conduct the review, a wide search of the literature was conducted, where a total of 14 full articles were included and analysed. It was found that different forms of leishmaniasis (visceral leishmaniasis, cutaneous leishmaniasis and post kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis) do cause a significant impact on patients’ mental health and quality of life through societal factors such as stigma, lack of knowledge, culture and low self-esteem among others. However, no evidence of biological mechanisms was found linking leishmaniasis to mental illness or decreased quality of life. Despite being a very incapacitating disease physically, leishmaniasis also leads to mental illness and decreased quality of life, and should therefore be a priority on the global health agenda for both researchers and policy makers.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document