Abstract
Background: Depression and diabetes are common illnesses affecting individuals with health challenges and family stress. Research suggested stigma-reduction interventions for families facing health-related stressors. This study examined factors predicting public stigma on depression alone or comorbid with diabetes. Methods: In Shanghai, China, consented respondents to a community-based survey read one of four vignettes varied by depression types and gender of the Vignette Subject (VS). This vignette method measures each respondent’s Individualized Public Stigma score, attitude toward the subject’s family with the Devaluation of Consumer’s Families score, and problem seriousness leading to stress. Results: 125 respondents expressed views on depression or diabetes-associated depression via their answers to a randomly assigned vignette. Results show significant associations with Individualized Public Stigma when entering the regression model with five variables: problem seriousness, knowing someone with a mental health problem, subject’s gender, attitude toward the subject’s family, and depression comorbid with diabetes. Regression statistics showed that a person’s Individualized Public Stigma scores could be predicted by two of these variables: perceived problem seriousness and sympathy toward the affected family. Yet, comorbidity with diabetes was not a significant predictor of stigma. Conclusions: This study concludes that the cultural value toward community support could be an educational means to help the public realize the importance of protecting the families affected by mental health stigma. Applying this theory in action, practitioners must assess how self-stigmatization interfaces with the public perception of the patient's family. In addition, when people have a highly sympathetic attitude toward the patient’s family and perceive the presenting problem as severe, they must be aware of the impact of individualized stigma on the patient. Future research must focus on these cultural perspectives to support early anti-stigma interventions.
Public Stigma on Depression Comorbid with Diabetes: A Vignette-Method Study in China