Stigma of mental illness in Jordan

Abstract EN

Background: Local statistics in Jordan show that about 1.75 million people suffer from mental illnesses, which is equivalent to about 20% of the population (14).Mental health care and services in Jordan have greatly improved in quality and efficacy of management in the 21st century, although revolutions in psychiatry have not yet been able to reduce stigma.

Stigma is one of the risk factors leading to poor mental health outcome.

It is responsible for the delay in seeking treatment, and reduces the likelihood of a mentally ill patient receiving adequate care.

Clearly, the delay caused by stigmatization can have serious and dramatic results and effects.

This study will discuss the stigma associated with mental illness, and its causes, results, and effects.

Objectives: The aim of the study is to identify and assess cases of mental health patients stigmatized after their first and second visits, as per the reports gathered from the Jordanian mental health care clinics' database.

Methods: All spontaneous reports of stigmatized mentally ill patients (2016-2017) related to delayed visitation, cessation of visits, noncompliance, and delayed improvement due to stigma were retrieved.

A descriptive analysis was conducted using source, gender, age, and type of report, a retrospective cohort study using administrative healthcare data.

The study will further identify the magnitude of this problem and the characteristics of the reactions and reviews, based on the current evidence.

Therefore, attempts are made to answer the following questions: What are the clinical results and effects of stigma? Can stigma lead to increased duration of illness? Does stigma have an impact on life quality and socio-economic status? Results: From the mental health care clinics' database in Jordan, spontaneous reports of stigmatized patients (2016-2017) were assessed.

These reports were related to delayed visitation, cessation of visits, non-compliance, and delayed improvement.

Of the 115,616 patients with confirmed diagnosis (i.e., 6.6% of all patients in Jordan), 11,940 patients were assessed (10.32% of the 115,616), out of which 7639 were males (63.98% of 11,940) and 4301 females (36.02% of 11,940).

With the overall stigma reporting frequency increasing over time for both cost-effectiveness and management and treatment, which are associated with severely harming society, an analysis of the relative reporting ratios for delayed visit, cessation of visit, noncompliance, and delayed improvement suggests that these adverse reactions were more frequently reported for mental patients.

Of the total number of delayed visit, cessation of visit, noncompliance, and delayed improvement, it was found that 41.00%was due to stigma, 19.42% due to lack of insight, 13.58% due to financial problems, 12.83% due to side effects of medication, 9.34% due to improvement of previous symptom, and 3.83% due to lack of caregivers.

Conclusion: The present data suggest that stigma may be a cause for concern, especially in young patients.

Hence, healthcare professionals should be vigilant about mental health care and provide psychological and pharmacological education in addition to activating the role of the crash team management.

The government should also issue strict laws to protect stigmatized patients and enforce compulsory treatment in the event of delayed visit, cessation of visit, noncompliance, or refusing treatment against medical advice, regardless of the reason for refusal.