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Community attitudes towards mental illness and socio-demographic characteristics: an Italian study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 October 2011

Chiara Buizza ,
Rosaria Pioli ,
Marco Ponteri ,
Michela Vittorielli ,
Angela Corradi ,
Nadia Minicuci  and
Giuseppe Rossi
Chiara Buizza*
Affiliation:
IRCCS, “Centra S. Giovanni di Dio”, Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, Italy
Rosaria Pioli
Affiliation:
IRCCS, “Centra S. Giovanni di Dio”, Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, Italy
Marco Ponteri
Affiliation:
IRCCS, “Centra S. Giovanni di Dio”, Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, Italy
Michela Vittorielli
Affiliation:
IRCCS, “Centra S. Giovanni di Dio”, Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, Italy
Angela Corradi
Affiliation:
IRCCS, “Centra S. Giovanni di Dio”, Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, Italy
Nadia Minicuci
Affiliation:
CNR, Institute of Neuroscience, Aging Unit, c/o Clinica Medica, 1st University of Padova, Padova, Italy
Giuseppe Rossi
Affiliation:
IRCCS, “Centra S. Giovanni di Dio”, Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, Italy
*
Address for correspondence: Dr. C. Buizza, IRCCS “Centro S. Giovanni di Dio”, Fatebenefratelli, Via Pilastroni 4. 25125 Brescia(Italy). Fax: +39-030-353.3513 E-mail: wpa.irccs@oh-fbf.it
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Summary

Aim — To assess the association between socio-demographic characteristics and community attitudes towards mentally ill people. Method — We assessed a sample of 280 subjects, stratified for sex and age, which has identified using the electoral registers of Brescia. A letter was sent to everyone in order to introduce the future potential study participant to the topics of the public attitudes towards mental illness and it included an invitation to take part in the study. After, 280 subjects were contacted by telephone. Finally, 174 persons, who expressed their willingness to collaborate, were visited by a team of four trained interviewers. The instruments used were: a semi-structured interview; the Community Attitudes to the Mentally III (CAMI) inven-tory, which is composed by 40 statements, concerning the degree of acceptance of mental health services and mentally ill patients in the community; and the Fear and Behavioural Intentions (FABI) inventory, which is composed by 10 items, concerning fears and behavioural intentions towards mentally ill people. 106 subjects refused to participate. Results — Factor analysis of the CAMI revealed three components Physical distance and fear, Social isolation and Social responsibility and tolerance. Factor 1 is associated with: people >61 years old; people being divorced/widowed/living separated; people who haven't participated in social or volunteer activities. Factor 2 is associated with: people > 41 years old; people being schooled at a level that's higher than elementary level; unemployed people. Factor 3 doesn't present any associations. Conclusions — The results of this study outline the need to: a) promote interventions focused to improve the general attitude towards people with mental illness; b) to favour specific actions in order to prevent or eliminate prejudices in subgroups of the population.

Declaration of Interest: in the last two years the authors have been paid by the IRCCS Centra San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli in Brescia (Italy), as employees and free professionals.

Keywords

mental illnesscommunity attitudesprejudicesItaly
Type
Original Papers
Information
Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences , Volume 14 , Issue 3 , September 2005 , pp. 154 - 162
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2005

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