Attitudes and beliefs about mental illness among relatives of patients with schizophrenia
Background: Schizophrenia is a mental disease with inability to differentiate real from unreal. In many African cultures a traditional view on mental disease results in stigma, negative attitudes, and ignorance of the patient and their symptoms. Objective: To explore the different attitudes and b...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Health and Social Sciences Research Institute - South Sudan (HSSRI-SS)
2017-08-01
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| Series: | South Sudan Medical Journal |
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| Online Access: | http://www.southsudanmedicaljournal.com/archive/august-2017/attitudes-and-beliefs-about-mental-illness-among-relatives-of-patients-with-schizophrenia.html |
| _version_ | 1828080206431125504 |
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| author | Ajak Manguak Agau Anne Bodilsen |
| author_facet | Ajak Manguak Agau Anne Bodilsen |
| author_sort | Ajak Manguak Agau |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Schizophrenia is a mental disease with inability to differentiate real from unreal. In many African cultures a traditional view on mental disease results in stigma, negative attitudes, and ignorance of the patient and their symptoms.
Objective: To explore the different attitudes and beliefs amongst relatives of patients having schizophrenia.
Method: Cross-sectional survey among relatives of patients with schizophrenia treated at Butabika Mental Hospital, Kampala, Uganda.
Results: A total of 44 were included. 30% believed schizophrenia to be a brain disease, 32% thought the cause was supernatural. The majority (80%) thought that schizophrenia can be treated and preferably in hospitals (91%); 66% felt the best way to reduce schizophrenia was to pray to God, and many stated that being with the patients (73%) or letting them be part of the community (80%) was good ways of helping the patients.
Conclusion: Beliefs about supernatural causes of schizophrenia and stigmatizing are still present in Uganda. However among participants many had positive attitude towards letting the patients be part of community. Education of the communities could be a way of improving the awareness of mental disorders and the role that the community play in recovery from mental illness. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T03:14:33Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-123b7fcf2cec42bfb7eb7fde3441f1c3 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2309-4605 2309-4613 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T03:14:33Z |
| publishDate | 2017-08-01 |
| publisher | Health and Social Sciences Research Institute - South Sudan (HSSRI-SS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | South Sudan Medical Journal |
| spelling | doaj.art-123b7fcf2cec42bfb7eb7fde3441f1c32023-01-02T10:39:52ZengHealth and Social Sciences Research Institute - South Sudan (HSSRI-SS)South Sudan Medical Journal2309-46052309-46132017-08-011036468Attitudes and beliefs about mental illness among relatives of patients with schizophreniaAjak Manguak Agau0Anne Bodilsen1National Institute of Health Sciences, JongleiAarhus University Hospital, DenmarkBackground: Schizophrenia is a mental disease with inability to differentiate real from unreal. In many African cultures a traditional view on mental disease results in stigma, negative attitudes, and ignorance of the patient and their symptoms. Objective: To explore the different attitudes and beliefs amongst relatives of patients having schizophrenia. Method: Cross-sectional survey among relatives of patients with schizophrenia treated at Butabika Mental Hospital, Kampala, Uganda. Results: A total of 44 were included. 30% believed schizophrenia to be a brain disease, 32% thought the cause was supernatural. The majority (80%) thought that schizophrenia can be treated and preferably in hospitals (91%); 66% felt the best way to reduce schizophrenia was to pray to God, and many stated that being with the patients (73%) or letting them be part of the community (80%) was good ways of helping the patients. Conclusion: Beliefs about supernatural causes of schizophrenia and stigmatizing are still present in Uganda. However among participants many had positive attitude towards letting the patients be part of community. Education of the communities could be a way of improving the awareness of mental disorders and the role that the community play in recovery from mental illness.http://www.southsudanmedicaljournal.com/archive/august-2017/attitudes-and-beliefs-about-mental-illness-among-relatives-of-patients-with-schizophrenia.htmlmental illness; stigma; attitudes; beliefsmental illness; stigma; attitudesbeliefsschizophreniamental illnessstigmaattitudesbeliefs |
| spellingShingle | Ajak Manguak Agau Anne Bodilsen Attitudes and beliefs about mental illness among relatives of patients with schizophrenia South Sudan Medical Journal mental illness; stigma; attitudes; beliefs mental illness; stigma; attitudes beliefs schizophrenia mental illness stigma attitudes beliefs |
| title | Attitudes and beliefs about mental illness among relatives of patients with schizophrenia |
| title_full | Attitudes and beliefs about mental illness among relatives of patients with schizophrenia |
| title_fullStr | Attitudes and beliefs about mental illness among relatives of patients with schizophrenia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Attitudes and beliefs about mental illness among relatives of patients with schizophrenia |
| title_short | Attitudes and beliefs about mental illness among relatives of patients with schizophrenia |
| title_sort | attitudes and beliefs about mental illness among relatives of patients with schizophrenia |
| topic | mental illness; stigma; attitudes; beliefs mental illness; stigma; attitudes beliefs schizophrenia mental illness stigma attitudes beliefs |
| url | http://www.southsudanmedicaljournal.com/archive/august-2017/attitudes-and-beliefs-about-mental-illness-among-relatives-of-patients-with-schizophrenia.html |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ajakmanguakagau attitudesandbeliefsaboutmentalillnessamongrelativesofpatientswithschizophrenia AT annebodilsen attitudesandbeliefsaboutmentalillnessamongrelativesofpatientswithschizophrenia |