A realist review of interventions to dismantle mental health and substance use related structural stigma in healthcare settings

Efforts to address mental illness stigma within the healthcare sector have not produced sufficient or sustained changes to delivery, quality, or models of care. One such reason is that many anti-stigma efforts tend to be targeted at interpersonal aspects of stigma, seeking to reduce prejudicial atti...

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Main Authors: Javeed Sukhera, Stephanie Knaak
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2022-12-01
Series:SSM - Mental Health
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666560322001104
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author Javeed Sukhera
Stephanie Knaak
author_facet Javeed Sukhera
Stephanie Knaak
author_sort Javeed Sukhera
collection DOAJ
description Efforts to address mental illness stigma within the healthcare sector have not produced sufficient or sustained changes to delivery, quality, or models of care. One such reason is that many anti-stigma efforts tend to be targeted at interpersonal aspects of stigma, seeking to reduce prejudicial attitudes and improve discriminatory behaviors. Shifting attention to structural aspects of stigma may have unique potential to advance stigma reduction into the future. In this study, the authors conducted a realist case study of interventions to address structural stigma in healthcare organizations. Utilizing a realist multiple explanatory case study approach, authors reviewed data from 62 cases. After developing their initial program theory, 6 exemplar cases were analyzed for possible context-mechanism-outcome configurations. Results suggest that effective interventions required organizational readiness to disrupt existing power asymmetries, shared governance infrastructures, and an alignment of values despite historical mistrust between disparate partners. Mechanisms for change involved proactive management of resistance, disruptive innovation, co-designing processes, and embedding structural change into existing policy. Outcomes included sustainability, reduced coercion, and improved trust. Findings suggest that interventions to address structural stigma can produce sustained policy and practice change if organizations embrace power sharing and trust building while embedding change within policies and governance structures.
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spelling doaj.art-4fa80df4a9094d4987f3a0258978b3a92022-12-28T04:20:13ZengElsevierSSM - Mental Health2666-56032022-12-012100170A realist review of interventions to dismantle mental health and substance use related structural stigma in healthcare settingsJaveed Sukhera0Stephanie Knaak1Department of Psychiatry, Hartford Hospital, Hartford, CT, USA; Mental Health Commission of Canada, Canada; Corresponding author. Institute of Living, Terry Building, 200 Retreat Avenue, Hartford, CT, 06106, USA.Mental Health Commission of Canada, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, and Faculty of Nursing, University of Calgary, CanadaEfforts to address mental illness stigma within the healthcare sector have not produced sufficient or sustained changes to delivery, quality, or models of care. One such reason is that many anti-stigma efforts tend to be targeted at interpersonal aspects of stigma, seeking to reduce prejudicial attitudes and improve discriminatory behaviors. Shifting attention to structural aspects of stigma may have unique potential to advance stigma reduction into the future. In this study, the authors conducted a realist case study of interventions to address structural stigma in healthcare organizations. Utilizing a realist multiple explanatory case study approach, authors reviewed data from 62 cases. After developing their initial program theory, 6 exemplar cases were analyzed for possible context-mechanism-outcome configurations. Results suggest that effective interventions required organizational readiness to disrupt existing power asymmetries, shared governance infrastructures, and an alignment of values despite historical mistrust between disparate partners. Mechanisms for change involved proactive management of resistance, disruptive innovation, co-designing processes, and embedding structural change into existing policy. Outcomes included sustainability, reduced coercion, and improved trust. Findings suggest that interventions to address structural stigma can produce sustained policy and practice change if organizations embrace power sharing and trust building while embedding change within policies and governance structures.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666560322001104
spellingShingle Javeed Sukhera
Stephanie Knaak
A realist review of interventions to dismantle mental health and substance use related structural stigma in healthcare settings
SSM - Mental Health
title A realist review of interventions to dismantle mental health and substance use related structural stigma in healthcare settings
title_full A realist review of interventions to dismantle mental health and substance use related structural stigma in healthcare settings
title_fullStr A realist review of interventions to dismantle mental health and substance use related structural stigma in healthcare settings
title_full_unstemmed A realist review of interventions to dismantle mental health and substance use related structural stigma in healthcare settings
title_short A realist review of interventions to dismantle mental health and substance use related structural stigma in healthcare settings
title_sort realist review of interventions to dismantle mental health and substance use related structural stigma in healthcare settings
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666560322001104
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