2981 – Stigmatisation of mental health patients an extra vulnerability in times of economical crisis

Abstract

Cuts on health care are necessary for different reasons. First the economical burden of health care should be proportional to the possibilities of the population. Yet in times when the population grows older and possibilities augment, containment is necessary. Governements and health insurance authorities will look closely into possibilites of reducing costs by a great efficacy, by shared descision making, by choices that are to be made. An other alternative is found by asking patients for an own contribution to their health expenses. In that regard it was appauling to witness the fact that in the Netherlands this own contribution was raised soley in patients with psychiatric disorders where individuals with so called somatic diseases were exempted. With, among others a strong support from the national psychiatric associations, the own-contribution for psychiatric patients was banned. Yet the new governement threatens to repeat this non-sense by stating that only psychosis are real disorders and all other mental disorders a matter of pulling yourself together. Stigma on Mental disorders is a very actual theme! Let us face it!