Associative stigma among mental health professionals in Singapore: a cross-sectional study

Objectives (1) Investigate and explore whether different classes of associative stigma (the process by which a person experiences stigmatisation as a result of an association with another stigmatised person) could be identified using latent class analysis; (2) determine the sociodemographic and empl...

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Main Authors: Janhavi Ajit Vaingankar, Louisa Picco, Boon Yiang Chua, Samantha Ong, Kah Lai Yow, Hong Choon Chua
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMJ Publishing Group 2019-07-01
Series:BMJ Open
Online Access:https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/9/7/e028179.full
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author Janhavi Ajit Vaingankar
Louisa Picco
Boon Yiang Chua
Samantha Ong
Kah Lai Yow
Hong Choon Chua
author_facet Janhavi Ajit Vaingankar
Louisa Picco
Boon Yiang Chua
Samantha Ong
Kah Lai Yow
Hong Choon Chua
author_sort Janhavi Ajit Vaingankar
collection DOAJ
description Objectives (1) Investigate and explore whether different classes of associative stigma (the process by which a person experiences stigmatisation as a result of an association with another stigmatised person) could be identified using latent class analysis; (2) determine the sociodemographic and employment-related correlates of associative stigma and (3) examine the relationship between associative stigma and job satisfaction, among mental health professionals.Design Cross-sectional online survey.Participants Doctors, nurses and allied health staff, working in Singapore.Methods Staff (n=462) completed an online survey, which comprised 11 associative stigma items and also captured sociodemographic and job satisfaction-related information. Latent class analysis was used to classify associative stigma on patterns of observed categorical variables. Multinomial logistic regression was used to examine associations between sociodemographic and employment-related factors and the different classes, while multiple linear regression analyses were used to examine the relationship between associative stigma and job satisfaction.Results The latent class analysis revealed that items formed a three-class model where the classes were classified as ‘no/low associative stigma’, ‘moderate associative stigma’ and ‘high associative stigma’. 48.7%, 40.5% and 10.8% of the population comprised no/low, moderate and high associative stigma classes, respectively. Multinomial logistic regression showed that years of service and occupation were significantly associated with moderate associative stigma, while factors associated with high associative stigma were education, ethnicity and occupation. Multiple linear regression analyses revealed that high associative stigma was significantly associated with lower job satisfaction scores.Conclusion Associative stigma was not uncommon among mental health professionals and was associated with sociodemographic factors and poorer job satisfaction. Associative stigma has received comparatively little attention from empirical researchers and continued efforts to address this understudied yet important construct in conjunction with future efforts to dispel misconceptions related to mental illnesses are needed.
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spelling doaj-art-1d23d2b791e44e5a9d2daeb0a4a56e3f2025-08-20T02:48:45ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open2044-60552019-07-019710.1136/bmjopen-2018-028179Associative stigma among mental health professionals in Singapore: a cross-sectional studyJanhavi Ajit Vaingankar0Louisa Picco1Boon Yiang Chua2Samantha Ong3Kah Lai Yow4Hong Choon Chua51 Research Division, Institute of Mental Health, Singapore, SingaporeMonash Addiction Research Centre, Eastern Health Clinical School, Monash University, Frankston, Victoria, Australia1 Research Division, Institute of Mental Health, Singapore, Singapore3 Tayside Respiratory Research Group, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK3 Allied Health, Institute of Mental Health, Singapore, SingaporeHealth Intelligence Unit, Institute of Mental Health, SingaporeObjectives (1) Investigate and explore whether different classes of associative stigma (the process by which a person experiences stigmatisation as a result of an association with another stigmatised person) could be identified using latent class analysis; (2) determine the sociodemographic and employment-related correlates of associative stigma and (3) examine the relationship between associative stigma and job satisfaction, among mental health professionals.Design Cross-sectional online survey.Participants Doctors, nurses and allied health staff, working in Singapore.Methods Staff (n=462) completed an online survey, which comprised 11 associative stigma items and also captured sociodemographic and job satisfaction-related information. Latent class analysis was used to classify associative stigma on patterns of observed categorical variables. Multinomial logistic regression was used to examine associations between sociodemographic and employment-related factors and the different classes, while multiple linear regression analyses were used to examine the relationship between associative stigma and job satisfaction.Results The latent class analysis revealed that items formed a three-class model where the classes were classified as ‘no/low associative stigma’, ‘moderate associative stigma’ and ‘high associative stigma’. 48.7%, 40.5% and 10.8% of the population comprised no/low, moderate and high associative stigma classes, respectively. Multinomial logistic regression showed that years of service and occupation were significantly associated with moderate associative stigma, while factors associated with high associative stigma were education, ethnicity and occupation. Multiple linear regression analyses revealed that high associative stigma was significantly associated with lower job satisfaction scores.Conclusion Associative stigma was not uncommon among mental health professionals and was associated with sociodemographic factors and poorer job satisfaction. Associative stigma has received comparatively little attention from empirical researchers and continued efforts to address this understudied yet important construct in conjunction with future efforts to dispel misconceptions related to mental illnesses are needed.https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/9/7/e028179.full
spellingShingle Janhavi Ajit Vaingankar
Louisa Picco
Boon Yiang Chua
Samantha Ong
Kah Lai Yow
Hong Choon Chua
Associative stigma among mental health professionals in Singapore: a cross-sectional study
BMJ Open
title Associative stigma among mental health professionals in Singapore: a cross-sectional study
title_full Associative stigma among mental health professionals in Singapore: a cross-sectional study
title_fullStr Associative stigma among mental health professionals in Singapore: a cross-sectional study
title_full_unstemmed Associative stigma among mental health professionals in Singapore: a cross-sectional study
title_short Associative stigma among mental health professionals in Singapore: a cross-sectional study
title_sort associative stigma among mental health professionals in singapore a cross sectional study
url https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/9/7/e028179.full
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