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Impact of Self Stigma on Quality of Life of People with Mental Illness at Dilla University Referral Hospital, South Ethiopia

Received: 25 July 2017     Accepted: 7 August 2017     Published: 25 August 2017
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Abstract

The stigma associated with mental illness can potentially be a reason for lower quality of life among persons with mental illness. Since self stigma can also exist without actual stigma from the public, more hidden and inside, it seems to be the worst form of stigma against people with mental illness and can directly affect the overall well being of people with mental illness. Moreover, it is also a great barrier for social interaction. However, no study is available on impact of self stigma on quality of life of people with mental illness in South Ethiopia generally and particularly in Dilla town. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of self stigma on quality of life of people with mental illness at Dilla University Referral Hospital, south Ethiopia. The study was conducted in the psychiatry outpatient department of Dilla University referral hospital. An institutional based cross-sectional study was conducted on 317 people with mental illness that attended psychiatric clinic for mental health service from June 1st to 30th, 2016. Data were collected using a pre tested interviewer administered structured questionnaires. Self-stigma was measured using Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness (ISMI) Scale which was validated and used in many other similar settings. Quality of life was measured using quality of life assessment tool Short Form, Version-2 (SF-36). In this study, the prevalence of self stigma among people with mental illness was 32.1%. Regarding Quality of life (QoL) of people with mental illness, 54.6% were experiencing lower quality of life. As self stigma increases by one unit in studied participants, quality of life decreases by 4.1% (OR=0.041; 95% C.I: -0.065,-0.012). In other words, self stigma and QOL were inversely correlated(r=-0.076) which indicates that stigma worsen QoL of people with mental illness. The result of this study was revealed that, apparently high prevalence of self-stigma among persons with mental illness and lower quality of life. To improve QoL of people with mental illness, tackling stigma need to be addressed by health professionals, community, researchers, policy makers and stakeholders.

Published in American Journal of Health Research (Volume 5, Issue 5)
DOI 10.11648/j.ajhr.20170505.12
Page(s) 125-130
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2017. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Impact, Self Stigma, Quality of Life, Mental Illness

References
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[9] Mc Daid, David: Countering the stigmatization & discrimination of people with mental health problems in Europe: European commission. 2008.
[10] Helia G, Marzih N, Lars J: Internalized stigma of mental illness. Stigma research &action 2011, 1(1): 11-17.
[11] Aphroditiz S, Michael M: Stigma related to help seeking from mental health professionals. Health Science Journal 2010, 4(2): 77-83.
[12] Girma E, Tesfaye M, Froseschl G, Norbert Moller-Lekimku AM, Muller N, Dehning S: Publicstigma against people with mental illness in Gilgel Gibe field research center (GGFRC)in south west Ethiopia. PLOS One 2013, 8(12): 1-9.
[13] Assefa D, Shibre T, Asher L, Fekadu A: Internalized stigma among patients with schizophrenia in Ethiopia: a cross-sectional facility-based study. BMC Psychiatry 2012, 12: 239.
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[21] Aloba O, FatoyeO, Mapayi B, Akinsulore S: A review of Quality of Life studies in Nigerian patients with psychiatric disorders. Afr J Psychiatry 2013, 16(5): 333-337.
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Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Alem Eskeziya Ayenalem, Tenaw Yimer Tiruye, Muhammed Seid Muhammed. (2017). Impact of Self Stigma on Quality of Life of People with Mental Illness at Dilla University Referral Hospital, South Ethiopia. American Journal of Health Research, 5(5), 125-130. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajhr.20170505.12

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    ACS Style

    Alem Eskeziya Ayenalem; Tenaw Yimer Tiruye; Muhammed Seid Muhammed. Impact of Self Stigma on Quality of Life of People with Mental Illness at Dilla University Referral Hospital, South Ethiopia. Am. J. Health Res. 2017, 5(5), 125-130. doi: 10.11648/j.ajhr.20170505.12

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    AMA Style

    Alem Eskeziya Ayenalem, Tenaw Yimer Tiruye, Muhammed Seid Muhammed. Impact of Self Stigma on Quality of Life of People with Mental Illness at Dilla University Referral Hospital, South Ethiopia. Am J Health Res. 2017;5(5):125-130. doi: 10.11648/j.ajhr.20170505.12

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ajhr.20170505.12,
      author = {Alem Eskeziya Ayenalem and Tenaw Yimer Tiruye and Muhammed Seid Muhammed},
      title = {Impact of Self Stigma on Quality of Life of People with Mental Illness at Dilla University Referral Hospital, South Ethiopia},
      journal = {American Journal of Health Research},
      volume = {5},
      number = {5},
      pages = {125-130},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ajhr.20170505.12},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajhr.20170505.12},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajhr.20170505.12},
      abstract = {The stigma associated with mental illness can potentially be a reason for lower quality of life among persons with mental illness. Since self stigma can also exist without actual stigma from the public, more hidden and inside, it seems to be the worst form of stigma against people with mental illness and can directly affect the overall well being of people with mental illness. Moreover, it is also a great barrier for social interaction. However, no study is available on impact of self stigma on quality of life of people with mental illness in South Ethiopia generally and particularly in Dilla town. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of self stigma on quality of life of people with mental illness at Dilla University Referral Hospital, south Ethiopia. The study was conducted in the psychiatry outpatient department of Dilla University referral hospital. An institutional based cross-sectional study was conducted on 317 people with mental illness that attended psychiatric clinic for mental health service from June 1st to 30th, 2016. Data were collected using a pre tested interviewer administered structured questionnaires. Self-stigma was measured using Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness (ISMI) Scale which was validated and used in many other similar settings. Quality of life was measured using quality of life assessment tool Short Form, Version-2 (SF-36). In this study, the prevalence of self stigma among people with mental illness was 32.1%. Regarding Quality of life (QoL) of people with mental illness, 54.6% were experiencing lower quality of life. As self stigma increases by one unit in studied participants, quality of life decreases by 4.1% (OR=0.041; 95% C.I: -0.065,-0.012). In other words, self stigma and QOL were inversely correlated(r=-0.076) which indicates that stigma worsen QoL of people with mental illness. The result of this study was revealed that, apparently high prevalence of self-stigma among persons with mental illness and lower quality of life. To improve QoL of people with mental illness, tackling stigma need to be addressed by health professionals, community, researchers, policy makers and stakeholders.},
     year = {2017}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Impact of Self Stigma on Quality of Life of People with Mental Illness at Dilla University Referral Hospital, South Ethiopia
    AU  - Alem Eskeziya Ayenalem
    AU  - Tenaw Yimer Tiruye
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    DO  - 10.11648/j.ajhr.20170505.12
    T2  - American Journal of Health Research
    JF  - American Journal of Health Research
    JO  - American Journal of Health Research
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    EP  - 130
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2330-8796
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajhr.20170505.12
    AB  - The stigma associated with mental illness can potentially be a reason for lower quality of life among persons with mental illness. Since self stigma can also exist without actual stigma from the public, more hidden and inside, it seems to be the worst form of stigma against people with mental illness and can directly affect the overall well being of people with mental illness. Moreover, it is also a great barrier for social interaction. However, no study is available on impact of self stigma on quality of life of people with mental illness in South Ethiopia generally and particularly in Dilla town. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of self stigma on quality of life of people with mental illness at Dilla University Referral Hospital, south Ethiopia. The study was conducted in the psychiatry outpatient department of Dilla University referral hospital. An institutional based cross-sectional study was conducted on 317 people with mental illness that attended psychiatric clinic for mental health service from June 1st to 30th, 2016. Data were collected using a pre tested interviewer administered structured questionnaires. Self-stigma was measured using Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness (ISMI) Scale which was validated and used in many other similar settings. Quality of life was measured using quality of life assessment tool Short Form, Version-2 (SF-36). In this study, the prevalence of self stigma among people with mental illness was 32.1%. Regarding Quality of life (QoL) of people with mental illness, 54.6% were experiencing lower quality of life. As self stigma increases by one unit in studied participants, quality of life decreases by 4.1% (OR=0.041; 95% C.I: -0.065,-0.012). In other words, self stigma and QOL were inversely correlated(r=-0.076) which indicates that stigma worsen QoL of people with mental illness. The result of this study was revealed that, apparently high prevalence of self-stigma among persons with mental illness and lower quality of life. To improve QoL of people with mental illness, tackling stigma need to be addressed by health professionals, community, researchers, policy makers and stakeholders.
    VL  - 5
    IS  - 5
    ER  - 

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Author Information
  • Department of Psychiatry, College of Health Science and School of Medicine, Dilla University, Dilla, Ethiopia

  • Public health Department, College of Health Science, Debre Markos University, Debre Markos, Ethiopia

  • Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine and Health Science, Wollo University, Dessie, Ethiopia

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