Experienced and Anticipated Stigma among People with Mental Illness when Interacting with Healthcare Workers

Research has found that most people have negative attitudes towards those with mental illnesses, and the resulting stigma and discrimination can be dangerous. Unfortunately, mental health stigma and discrimination are also seen in healthcare providers, with potentially fatal consequences, given that people with mental illnesses have shorter lifespans and are more likely to become ill than members of the general population. This study explored anticipatory and experienced mental health stigma from the patient’s perspective in a sample of 275 people with self-reported mental illness recruited from the online panel Prolific. Between 30.3% (Everyday Discrimination Scale) and 44.1% (Stigma Scale) of participants reported substantial levels of stigma from healthcare providers. Results also found that over forty percent of participants avoid healthcare providers on some level out of fear of stigma. Findings have important implications for improving the health of people diagnosed with mental illnesses