Stigma due to their work in mental health, among mental health professionals in Sri Lanka

U L N S Liyanage,U H Hewawitharana,W W J S M Rowel,D M T Dissanayake,V De Silva

doi:10.4038/sljpsyc.v9i1.8174

U L N S Liyanage, U H Hewawitharana + Show 3 more

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https://doi.org/10.4038/sljpsyc.v9i1.8174

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Abstract

The Sri Lanka Journal of Psychiatry (SLJP) is a peer-reviewed, open access journal published bi annually by the Sri Lanka College of Psychiatrists.The Journal publishes original papers, brief reports including case reports and commentaries relevant to psychiatry and allied sciences. The Sri Lanka Journal of Psychiatry is committed to maintaining and conforming to the editorial and ethical standards recommended by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors.Cover: Doorways: When one is ill, having somewhere to stay, where one is looked after, is usually a relief to the patient who is not well and his/her family. The picture shows the doorway to what remains of an ancient hospital in Mihintale, said to date back two millennia. Thilini Rajapakse, Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka.

Highlights

Stigma related to mental health is not limited to individuals with mental illness or their families; health professionals working in mental health are affected by it
Stigma associated with mental health In Sri Lanka, neuropsychiatric disorders are estimated to contribute to 11.5% of the total burden of disease, and only a minority of these patients receive adequate treatment [1]
Stigmatizing and stereotypical views about mental illness include views that patients with mental illness are dangerous, unpredictable, difficult to communicate with, cold hearted and unfeeling, and that they perceive the world in a different way to ‘healthy’ people; and many of these views are often internalized by patients, who may believe that they are less valued because of their psychiatric disorder [3]

Summary

Background

Stigma related to mental health is not limited to individuals with mental illness or their families; health professionals working in mental health are affected by it. Stigma among mental health professionals may lead to lack of work satisfaction, and poor recruitment and retention of personnel in the mental health sector resulting in poor mental health care. Stigma among the health professionals in Sri. Lanka has not been studied adequately

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