Examining the Burden of Public Stigma Associated with Mental Illness in the Rural U.S.

This study examined stigmatizing attitudes and beliefs toward any mental illness among the general population. Similar to prior research, a focus on any mental illness, as opposed to serious mental illness or specific types of mental illness, enhances the generalizability of the findings.

In collaboration with the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy, researchers designed and administered a survey to a nationally representative panel that includes a sufficient rural sample for analysis of rural/nonrural differences. Findings generated a more nuanced, and current, description of mental illness stigma in rural and nonrural communities in the U.S. This understanding is a necessary step for mitigating negative consequences resulting from stigma and advancing the quality of health care, behavioral health, and quality of life of individuals experiencing mental illness.

Specifically, findings inform strategies (e.g., education) to minimize stigmatizing attitudes and beliefs among rural residents, including potential targeting to rural subgroups where stigma may be greater.

Researchers proposed to test the following hypotheses:

1. The prevalence of public stigma associated with mental illness will differ between rural and nonrural residents.
2. The prevalence of public stigma associated with mental illness varies by sex.
3. The prevalence of public stigma associated with mental illness will differ between residents who have and do not have experience with mental illness, with experience defined as either personally having mental illness or knowing someone with mental illness.

This project employed a cross-sectional study design to document the burden of public stigma associated with mental illness, with a focus on identifying rural/nonrural differences. Researchers administered a survey composed of 10 items to a sample drawn from a nationally representative panel (AmeriSpeak®) inclusive of rural and nonrural residents. Researchers identified an established, validated scale designed to examine public attitudes about mental illness. They modified it by removing two of the weakest items based on factor loadings and adding one item to assess personal experience with mental illness. From the AmeriSpeak® panel, researchers were also be able to include demographic information collected from survey respondents within the analyses.

There may be products related to this project; please contact the lead researcher for more information.