Magnitude of Perceived Stigma and Factors Associated with Care Givers of Schizophrenic Patients: The Case of Amanuel Mental Specialized Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Abstract

Stigma is a social process, experienced and characterized by exclusion, rejection, blaming or devaluation of a person or a group. Schizophrenia, especially because of its distinctive symptoms like common disruptive behavior and perceived dangerousness, exposes patients to stigma and discrimination. If families do not seek help because of stigma, young people will be at risk of longer durations of untreated illness. To assess magnitude and factors associated with perceived stigma among caregivers of schizophrenic patients at Amanuel Hospital in Ethiopia. The study design was a hospital-based cross-sectional survey. Data were collected from May, 6–31, 2013 using structured and pretested questionnaire. Four hundred and twelve study participants were recruited using systematic sampling technique. Epi Info version 3.5.3 and SPSS version 17.0 packages were used for data entry and analysis was done respectively. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regressions were used to assess the association between outcome and explanatory variables. Four hundred and twelve participants had provided data. The overall prevalence of perceived stigma against participants, as was discovered from the study through Family Interview Schedule Stigma (FIS), was 92%. Never married [Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) 4.55; 95% Confidence Interval (CI):1.98–10.43], Rural residence [AOR; 4.38; 95%CI: 1.65–11.58], Being a husband or wife [AOR; 7.01; 95% CI: 1.78–27.56] and duration of illness [AOR; 3.31; 95% CI: 1.30–8.44] were factors associated with perceived stigma among care givers’ of schizophrenic patients. Magnitude of perceived stigma was found to be 92%. Marital status, residency, duration of illness and caregiver relationship were factors associated with perceived stigma among caregivers of schizophrenic patients. Hence, it is recommended to organize stigma focused interventions. Social support programs should be designed and integrated with anti-stigma intervention so as to cope with perceived stigma through behavioral change communication at different settings.

Keywords: Amanuel specialized hospital, perceived stigma, care giver, schizophrenia

Cite this Article

Tesfalem Araya, Kidanu Gebremariam, Alemayehu Bayray, Niguse Yigzaw. Magnitude of Perceived Stigma and Factors Associated with Care Givers of Schizophrenic Patients: The Case of Amanuel Mental Specialized Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Research and Reviews: Journal of Medical Science and Technology. 2016; 5(2): 1–9p.