Stakeholder perceptions of mental health stigma and poverty in Uganda

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dc.contributor.authorSsebunnya, Joshuaen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorKigozi, Freden_ZA
dc.contributor.authorLund, Cricken_ZA
dc.contributor.authorKizza, Dorothyen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorOkello, Elialiliaen_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2015-10-30T09:35:49Z
dc.date.available2015-10-30T09:35:49Z
dc.date.issued2009en_ZA
dc.description.abstractBACKGROUND:World wide, there is plentiful evidence regarding the role of stigma in mental illness, as well as the association between poverty and mental illness. The experiences of stigma catalyzed by poverty revolve around experiences of devaluation, exclusion, and disadvantage. Although the relationship between poverty, stigma and mental illness has been documented in high income countries, little has been written on this relationship in low and middle income countries.The paper describes the opinions of a range of mental health stakeholders regarding poverty, stigma, mental illness and their relationship in the Ugandan context, as part of a wider study, aimed at exploring policy interventions required to address the vicious cycle of mental ill-health and poverty. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted with purposefully selected mental health stakeholders from various sectors. The interviews and FGDs were audio-recorded, and transcriptions were coded on the basis of a pre-determined coding frame. Thematic analysis of the data was conducted using NVivo7, adopting a framework analysis approach. RESULTS: Most participants identified a reciprocal relationship between poverty and mental illness. The stigma attached to mental illness was perceived as a common phenomenon, mostly associated with local belief systems regarding the causes of mental illness. Stigma associated with both poverty and mental illness serves to reinforce the vicious cycle of poverty and mental ill-health. Most participants emphasized a relationship between poverty and internalized stigma among people with mental illness in Uganda. CONCLUSION: According to a range of mental health stakeholders in Uganda, there is a strong interrelationship between poverty, stigma and mental illness. These findings re-affirm the need to recognize material resources as a central element in the fight against stigma of mental illness, and the importance of stigma reduction programmes in protecting the mentally ill from social isolation, particularly in conditions of poverty.en_ZA
dc.identifier.apacitationSsebunnya, J., Kigozi, F., Lund, C., Kizza, D., & Okello, E. (2009). Stakeholder perceptions of mental health stigma and poverty in Uganda. <i>BMC International Health and Human Rights</i>, http://hdl.handle.net/11427/14535en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationSsebunnya, Joshua, Fred Kigozi, Crick Lund, Dorothy Kizza, and Elialilia Okello "Stakeholder perceptions of mental health stigma and poverty in Uganda." <i>BMC International Health and Human Rights</i> (2009) http://hdl.handle.net/11427/14535en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationSsebunnya, J., Kigozi, F., Lund, C., Kizza, D., & Okello, E. (2009). Stakeholder perceptions of mental health stigma and poverty in Uganda. BMC international health and human rights, 9(1), 5.en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Journal Article AU - Ssebunnya, Joshua AU - Kigozi, Fred AU - Lund, Crick AU - Kizza, Dorothy AU - Okello, Elialilia AB - BACKGROUND:World wide, there is plentiful evidence regarding the role of stigma in mental illness, as well as the association between poverty and mental illness. The experiences of stigma catalyzed by poverty revolve around experiences of devaluation, exclusion, and disadvantage. Although the relationship between poverty, stigma and mental illness has been documented in high income countries, little has been written on this relationship in low and middle income countries.The paper describes the opinions of a range of mental health stakeholders regarding poverty, stigma, mental illness and their relationship in the Ugandan context, as part of a wider study, aimed at exploring policy interventions required to address the vicious cycle of mental ill-health and poverty. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted with purposefully selected mental health stakeholders from various sectors. The interviews and FGDs were audio-recorded, and transcriptions were coded on the basis of a pre-determined coding frame. Thematic analysis of the data was conducted using NVivo7, adopting a framework analysis approach. RESULTS: Most participants identified a reciprocal relationship between poverty and mental illness. The stigma attached to mental illness was perceived as a common phenomenon, mostly associated with local belief systems regarding the causes of mental illness. Stigma associated with both poverty and mental illness serves to reinforce the vicious cycle of poverty and mental ill-health. Most participants emphasized a relationship between poverty and internalized stigma among people with mental illness in Uganda. CONCLUSION: According to a range of mental health stakeholders in Uganda, there is a strong interrelationship between poverty, stigma and mental illness. These findings re-affirm the need to recognize material resources as a central element in the fight against stigma of mental illness, and the importance of stigma reduction programmes in protecting the mentally ill from social isolation, particularly in conditions of poverty. DA - 2009 DB - OpenUCT DO - 10.1186/1472-698X-9-5 DP - University of Cape Town J1 - BMC International Health and Human Rights LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2009 T1 - Stakeholder perceptions of mental health stigma and poverty in Uganda TI - Stakeholder perceptions of mental health stigma and poverty in Uganda UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/14535 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/14535
dc.identifier.urihttp://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1472-698X-9-5
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationSsebunnya J, Kigozi F, Lund C, Kizza D, Okello E. Stakeholder perceptions of mental health stigma and poverty in Uganda. BMC International Health and Human Rights. 2009; http://hdl.handle.net/11427/14535.en_ZA
dc.language.isoengen_ZA
dc.publisherBioMed Central Ltden_ZA
dc.publisher.departmentDepartment of Psychiatry and Mental Healthen_ZA
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Health Sciencesen_ZA
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.rightsThis is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Licenseen_ZA
dc.rights.holder2009 Ssebunnya et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.en_ZA
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0en_ZA
dc.sourceBMC International Health and Human Rightsen_ZA
dc.source.urihttp://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcinthealthhumrights/en_ZA
dc.subject.otherStigmaen_ZA
dc.subject.otherMental Healthen_ZA
dc.titleStakeholder perceptions of mental health stigma and poverty in Ugandaen_ZA
dc.typeJournal Articleen_ZA
uct.type.filetypeText
uct.type.filetypeImage
uct.type.publicationResearchen_ZA
uct.type.resourceArticleen_ZA
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