Mental illness-related stigma and its associated factors among primary health care professionals in rural China

BackgroundPrimary health care professionals (PHCPs) play a key role in the workforce of community mental health services in rural China. This study aimed to explore the mental illness-related stigma and its associated factors among PHCPs in rural communities.MethodsThis study collected the data from...

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Main Authors: Yi-Yue Yang, Cong Wang, Jia Cai, Yun-Fei Mu, Lie Zhou, Yi-Zhou Wang, Tian-Ming Zhang, Xin-Yi Zhao, Ming Li, Wei Luo, Jian-Jun Luo, Yin-Ling IreneWong, Lawrence H. Yang, Siu-Man Ng, Mao-Sheng Ran
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-05-01
Series:Frontiers in Psychiatry
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1519527/full
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author Yi-Yue Yang
Yi-Yue Yang
Cong Wang
Cong Wang
Jia Cai
Jia Cai
Yun-Fei Mu
Yun-Fei Mu
Lie Zhou
Lie Zhou
Yi-Zhou Wang
Tian-Ming Zhang
Xin-Yi Zhao
Ming Li
Wei Luo
Jian-Jun Luo
Yin-Ling IreneWong
Lawrence H. Yang
Siu-Man Ng
Mao-Sheng Ran
Mao-Sheng Ran
author_facet Yi-Yue Yang
Yi-Yue Yang
Cong Wang
Cong Wang
Jia Cai
Jia Cai
Yun-Fei Mu
Yun-Fei Mu
Lie Zhou
Lie Zhou
Yi-Zhou Wang
Tian-Ming Zhang
Xin-Yi Zhao
Ming Li
Wei Luo
Jian-Jun Luo
Yin-Ling IreneWong
Lawrence H. Yang
Siu-Man Ng
Mao-Sheng Ran
Mao-Sheng Ran
author_sort Yi-Yue Yang
collection DOAJ
description BackgroundPrimary health care professionals (PHCPs) play a key role in the workforce of community mental health services in rural China. This study aimed to explore the mental illness-related stigma and its associated factors among PHCPs in rural communities.MethodsThis study collected the data from 247 PHCPs in 10 township health service centers in Xinjin District, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China from November to December 2023. The Mental Illness: Clinicians’ Attitudes (MICA) was used to assess the mental illness-related stigma. Demographic and stigma-related psychological scales were compared between PHCPs with and without mental illness-related stigma. Correlation and binary logistic regression analyses were performed.ResultsThere were 155 PHCPs (62.8%) with mental illness-related stigma, and the mean score of MICA was 50.68 ± 8.08. PHCPs with mental illness-related stigma had significantly lower mean scores of the Mental Health Knowledge Schedule (MAKS), the Reported and Intended Behavior Scale (RIBS), the 5-item Contact Scale (CQTS), and the 5-item Contact Quality Scale (CQLS) (p=0.001, p<0.001, P=0.041, P<0.001), and higher mean scores of the Social Distance Scale (SDS) (p<0.001) than those without mental illness-related stigma. Binary logistic regression analysis showed that PHCPs’ work experience (β=0.080, 95%CI=1.002~1.170, p=0.044) and scores of SDS (β=0.169, 95%CI=1.056~1.328, p=0.004) had significantly positive impact on the mental illness-related stigma, and the scores of MAKS (β=-0.082, 95%CI=0.850~0.998, p=0.045) and RIBS (β=-0.131, 95%CI=0.783~0.983, p=0.024) had significantly negative impact on the mental illness-related stigma.ConclusionsThe PHCPs have severe mental illness-related stigma in rural China, and the associated factors include work experience, mental health knowledge, behavioral discrimination, and social distance towards people with mental illness. The results of this study are crucial for development of anti-stigma intervention among PHCPs in rural communities.
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spelling doaj-art-c62a71ca0adb4d73823b33c893e48ebf2025-08-20T02:34:50ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychiatry1664-06402025-05-011610.3389/fpsyt.2025.15195271519527Mental illness-related stigma and its associated factors among primary health care professionals in rural ChinaYi-Yue Yang0Yi-Yue Yang1Cong Wang2Cong Wang3Jia Cai4Jia Cai5Yun-Fei Mu6Yun-Fei Mu7Lie Zhou8Lie Zhou9Yi-Zhou Wang10Tian-Ming Zhang11Xin-Yi Zhao12Ming Li13Wei Luo14Jian-Jun Luo15Yin-Ling IreneWong16Lawrence H. Yang17Siu-Man Ng18Mao-Sheng Ran19Mao-Sheng Ran20Mental Health Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, ChinaInstitute of Psychiatry, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, ChinaMental Health Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, ChinaInstitute of Psychiatry, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, ChinaMental Health Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, ChinaInstitute of Psychiatry, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, ChinaMental Health Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, ChinaInstitute of Psychiatry, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, ChinaMental Health Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, ChinaInstitute of Psychiatry, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, ChinaDepartment of Counselling and Psychology, Hong Kong Shue Yan University, Hong Kong, ChinaDepartment of Social Work, Shanghai University, Shanghai, ChinaSchool of Health Humanities, Peking University, Beijing, ChinaXinjin Second People’s Hospital, Chengdu, ChinaXinjin Second People’s Hospital, Chengdu, ChinaChongqing Mental Health Center, Chongqing, ChinaSchool of Social Policy & Practice, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United StatesDepartment of Social and Behavioral Sciences, New York University, New York, NY, United States0Department of Social Work and Social Administration, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, ChinaMental Health Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, ChinaInstitute of Psychiatry, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, ChinaBackgroundPrimary health care professionals (PHCPs) play a key role in the workforce of community mental health services in rural China. This study aimed to explore the mental illness-related stigma and its associated factors among PHCPs in rural communities.MethodsThis study collected the data from 247 PHCPs in 10 township health service centers in Xinjin District, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China from November to December 2023. The Mental Illness: Clinicians’ Attitudes (MICA) was used to assess the mental illness-related stigma. Demographic and stigma-related psychological scales were compared between PHCPs with and without mental illness-related stigma. Correlation and binary logistic regression analyses were performed.ResultsThere were 155 PHCPs (62.8%) with mental illness-related stigma, and the mean score of MICA was 50.68 ± 8.08. PHCPs with mental illness-related stigma had significantly lower mean scores of the Mental Health Knowledge Schedule (MAKS), the Reported and Intended Behavior Scale (RIBS), the 5-item Contact Scale (CQTS), and the 5-item Contact Quality Scale (CQLS) (p=0.001, p<0.001, P=0.041, P<0.001), and higher mean scores of the Social Distance Scale (SDS) (p<0.001) than those without mental illness-related stigma. Binary logistic regression analysis showed that PHCPs’ work experience (β=0.080, 95%CI=1.002~1.170, p=0.044) and scores of SDS (β=0.169, 95%CI=1.056~1.328, p=0.004) had significantly positive impact on the mental illness-related stigma, and the scores of MAKS (β=-0.082, 95%CI=0.850~0.998, p=0.045) and RIBS (β=-0.131, 95%CI=0.783~0.983, p=0.024) had significantly negative impact on the mental illness-related stigma.ConclusionsThe PHCPs have severe mental illness-related stigma in rural China, and the associated factors include work experience, mental health knowledge, behavioral discrimination, and social distance towards people with mental illness. The results of this study are crucial for development of anti-stigma intervention among PHCPs in rural communities.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1519527/fullprimary health care professionalsmental illnessstigmainfluencing factorsrural China
spellingShingle Yi-Yue Yang
Yi-Yue Yang
Cong Wang
Cong Wang
Jia Cai
Jia Cai
Yun-Fei Mu
Yun-Fei Mu
Lie Zhou
Lie Zhou
Yi-Zhou Wang
Tian-Ming Zhang
Xin-Yi Zhao
Ming Li
Wei Luo
Jian-Jun Luo
Yin-Ling IreneWong
Lawrence H. Yang
Siu-Man Ng
Mao-Sheng Ran
Mao-Sheng Ran
Mental illness-related stigma and its associated factors among primary health care professionals in rural China
Frontiers in Psychiatry
primary health care professionals
mental illness
stigma
influencing factors
rural China
title Mental illness-related stigma and its associated factors among primary health care professionals in rural China
title_full Mental illness-related stigma and its associated factors among primary health care professionals in rural China
title_fullStr Mental illness-related stigma and its associated factors among primary health care professionals in rural China
title_full_unstemmed Mental illness-related stigma and its associated factors among primary health care professionals in rural China
title_short Mental illness-related stigma and its associated factors among primary health care professionals in rural China
title_sort mental illness related stigma and its associated factors among primary health care professionals in rural china
topic primary health care professionals
mental illness
stigma
influencing factors
rural China
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1519527/full
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