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Efficacy of an Intervention to Reduce Stigma Beliefs and Attitudes among Primary Care and Mental Health Professionals: Two Cluster Randomised-Controlled Trials

Author

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  • Francisco José Eiroa-Orosa

    (Section of Personality, Assessment and Psychological Treatment, Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Barcelona, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
    First-Person Research Group, Veus, Catalan Federation of 1st Person Mental Health Organisations, 08035 Barcelona, Spain)

  • María Lomascolo

    (Obertament, Catalan Alliance against Stigma and Discrimination in Mental Health, 08010 Barcelona, Spain)

  • Anaïs Tosas-Fernández

    (Obertament, Catalan Alliance against Stigma and Discrimination in Mental Health, 08010 Barcelona, Spain)

Abstract

Although it may seem paradoxical, primary care and mental health professionals develop prejudices and discriminatory attitudes towards people with mental health problems in a very similar way to the rest of the population. The main objective of this project was to design, implement and evaluate two awareness-raising interventions respectively tailored to reduce stigmatising beliefs and attitudes towards persons with a mental health diagnosis among primary care (PC) and mental health (MH) professionals. These interventions were developed by Obertament, the Catalan alliance against stigma and discrimination in mental health. Activists from this organisation with lived experience of mental health diagnosis carried out awareness-raising interventions in PC and MH health centres. The Targeted, Local, Credible, Continuous Contact (TLC3) methodology was adapted to the Catalan healthcare context. The efficacy of these interventions was evaluated using two prospective double-blind cluster-randomised-controlled trials. Stigmatizing beliefs and behaviours were measured with the Opening Minds Stigma Scale for Health Care Providers in PC centres and with the Beliefs and Attitudes towards Mental Health Service users’ rights in MH centres. Reductions in both PC and MH professionals’ stigmatising beliefs and attitudes were found in the 1-month follow-up, although a ‘rebound effect’ at the 3-month follow up was detected. This emphasizes the importance of the continuity of the presence of anti-stigma activities and messages. Attrition rates were high, which can hamper the reliability of the results. Further follow-up studies should enquiry effects of long-term interventions aimed at reducing stigmatising beliefs and attitudes among primary care and mental health professionals using assessment systems that include the measurement of knowledge acquired and actual behavioural change.

Suggested Citation

  • Francisco José Eiroa-Orosa & María Lomascolo & Anaïs Tosas-Fernández, 2021. "Efficacy of an Intervention to Reduce Stigma Beliefs and Attitudes among Primary Care and Mental Health Professionals: Two Cluster Randomised-Controlled Trials," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(3), pages 1-15, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:3:p:1214-:d:489561
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Francisco José Eiroa-Orosa & Laura Limiñana-Bravo, 2019. "An Instrument to Measure Mental Health Professionals’ Beliefs and Attitudes towards Service Users’ Rights," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(2), pages 1-16, January.
    2. Yin-Yi Lien & Hui-Shin Lin & Chi-Hsuan Tsai & Yin-Ju Lien & Ting-Ting Wu, 2019. "Changes in Attitudes toward Mental Illness in Healthcare Professionals and Students," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(23), pages 1-14, November.
    3. Ronzani, Telmo Mota & Higgins-Biddle, John & Furtado, Erikson F., 2009. "Stigmatization of alcohol and other drug users by primary care providers in Southeast Brazil," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 69(7), pages 1080-1084, October.
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