Perceived mental health related stigma, gender, and depressive symptom severity in a psychiatric facility in South India

• Published in: Asian journal of psychiatry Vol. 9; pp. 73 - 77
• Main Authors: Kulesza, Magdalena, Raguram, R, Rao, Deepa
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01-06-2014
• Subjects: Adult; Depression; Depression - diagnosis; Depression - psychology; Female; Gender; Hospitals, Psychiatric; Humans; India; Internal Medicine; Male; Mental Disorders - psychology; Mental Health; Middle Aged; Psychiatry; Severity of Illness Index; Sex Factors; Social Stigma; Stigma; Women; India; Women; Depression; Gender; Stigma; India
• ISSN: 1876-2018; 1876-2026
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ajp.2014.03.005

Abstract Background Few studies exist on the topic of gender associated with depression and mental health-related stigma coming out of non-Western countries such as India. We aimed to add to the literature by assessing these relationships among adults seeking psychiatric services in India. Methods Participants were 60 individuals seeking care at a psychiatric clinic in Bangalore, India. The majority of participants were female with a mean age of 36 years ( SD = 9.75). Results Contrary to our prediction, there were no significant differences between men ( M = 28.96; SD = 9.85) and women ( M = 33.03; SD = 12.08) on depression severity, t (58) = 1.42, p = .16. Yet, women ( M = 10.09, SD = 8.23) reported significantly more perceived stigma than men ( M = 5.79, SD = 5.86), t (58) = 2.30, p = .02. Conclusion While men and women seeking psychiatric services at the psychiatric clinic in India report similar levels of depression severity, women reported more perceived mental illness stigma. Having experienced regular forms of discrimination associated with female status in India, it may be the case that women are more attuned to other forms of stigma, such as mental health stigma investigated in the present study. Given the detrimental impact of stigma on treatment adherence and engagement in care, additional research is needed support this work, including research on interventions to reduce stigma and improve engagement in care.