Validation of the Opening Minds Scale for Health Care Providers (OMS-HC): Factor Structure and Psychometric Properties of the Brazilian Version.

Stigma towards people with mental illness is also present among health professionals. The study validated and estimated the reliability, dimensionality and structure of the Opening Minds Stigma Scale for Health Care Providers (OMS-HC) scale in Brazil. In this methodological study, health professionals (n = 199) from Family Health Units in Brazil were recruited by convenience sampling. The EFA conducted with 16 items resulted in four factors. The Cronbach's Alpha for the OMS scale was 0.74, which is considered to reflect reasonable reliability. The data presented contribute to the use of the scale in studies that investigate the level of stigma among health professionals towards people with mental illness, as well as in the development of anti-stigma interventions in this context.

Community Health Workers and Stigma Associated with Mental Illness: An Integrative Literature Review.

Community health workers (CHWs) are facilitators between health services and service users, providing essential and effective support to those seeking health care. However, stigmatizing attitudes towards people with mental illness also exist among CHWs and are based on prejudicial and biasedopinions. This integrative review critically assessed evidence regarding CHWs approaches for addressing mental health issues. In total, 19 studies were included in this review. The results revealed that CHWs have limited knowledge about mental illness and also stigmatizing attitudes towards people with mental illness or substance use problems. Despite feeling unprepared, CHWs are favorable resources for mental health care and can contribute to reducing stigma due to the similarities they share with the communities that they serve. Task-sharing between health professionals and CHWs is an important strategy to improve access to health services and reducing stigma towards people with mental illness, provided that receive adequate training to perform the duties.

A situational analysis of primary health care centers in Brazil: challenges and opportunities for addressing mental illness and substance use-related stigma.

BACKGROUND: The detrimental impact of stigma toward people with mental illness and substance use problems (MISUP) is well documented. However, studies focusing on stigma reduction in Latin American primary health care (PHC) contexts are limited. This situational analysis incorporating a socioecological framework aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of MISUP-related stigma in PHC centers in Brazil. The objectives of this analysis are twofold: (1) to understand the current mental health and substance use service delivery context and (2) identify challenges and opportunities for addressing MISUP-related stigma in PHC centers in Ribeirão Preto, Brazil. METHODS: Environmental scans of four Family Health Units were conducted in early 2018 to explore population needs and service delivery for individuals with MISUP. In addition, a symposium was organized in October 2018 to consult with diverse stakeholders and gather local perspectives about MISUP-related stigma conveyed in PHC settings. NVivo 12 software was used to conduct a thematic analysis of the qualitative data collected from the environmental scans and the symposium consultation. RESULTS: Themes identified at the national level in the socioecological framework indicate that political support for national policies related to reducing stigma is limited, particularly regarding social inclusion and the decentralization of mental health services. Themes at the regional, organizational, and interpersonal levels include insufficient mental health expertise and the limited involvement of those with lived experience in decision-making. Suggestions for stigma interventions were provided, including increased contact with individuals with lived experience outside of client-patient interactions, capacity building for professionals, and public education campaigns. CONCLUSION: Increased government support, capacity building, and promoting social inclusion will provide opportunities to reduce stigma and reach marginalized populations. These findings will assist with addressing current gaps in PHC mental health service provision and may inform anti-stigma strategies for Brazil and other Latin American low- and middle-income countries.

General Beliefs About Illicit Drug Use and Stigma: Perspective of People Who Use Illicit Drugs.

People who use illicit drugs are continuously subjected to harsh stigmatization from society. This study explores the perspectives of people who use illicit drugs, specifically their general beliefs about illicit drug use and related stigma. A convergent parallel mixed methods design was used, combining quantitative and qualitative methods. The participants were recruited in a Psychosocial Care Centre (CAPSad) of a municipality in the state of Sao Paulo in Brazil. Findings revealed that illicit drug use can cause individual, family, professional and social difficulties, including problems with the law. The participants indicated they felt victimized by illicit drugs and their use, but also shared prejudicial and discriminatory views, highlighting self-stigmatizing perspectives. There is a need to develop intervention studies with a psychosocial approach on the use of illicit drugs, valuing the person's participation in the treatment, covering biomedical approaches, having in mind the social impact of illicit drugs and their use.

Health care providers and people with mental illness: An integrative review on anti-stigma interventions.

BACKGROUND: Health care providers are an important target group for anti-stigma interventions because they have the potential to convey stigmatizing attitudes towards people with mental illness. This can have a detrimental impact on the quality and effectiveness of care provided to those affected by mental illness. AIMS AND METHODS: Whittemore & Knafl's integrative review method (2005) was used to analyze 16 studies investigating anti-stigma interventions targeting health care providers. RESULTS: The interventions predominantly involved contact-based educational approaches which ranged from training on mental health (typically short-term), showing videos or films (indirect social contact) to involving people with lived experiences of mental illness (direct social contact). A few studies focused on interventions involving educational strategies without social contact, such as mental health training (courses/modules), distance learning via the Internet, lectures, discussion groups, and simulations. One study investigated an online anti-stigma awareness-raising campaign that aimed to reduce stigmatizing attitudes among health care providers. CONCLUSION: Anti-stigma interventions that involve social contact between health care providers and people with mental illness, target specific mental illnesses and include long-term follow-up strategies seem to be the most promising at reducing stigma towards mental illness among health care providers.

Perspectives About Treatment Services From People Who Use Illicit Drugs.

The objective of the current study was to describe the perspectives of people who use illicit drugs regarding the availability and effectiveness of drug treatment services. A total of 111 participants with illicit drug use experience were recruited from an inner city community in São Paulo, Brazil. Treatment services were considered to be essential and necessary by the majority of participants, whereas general hospitals and mental health services were considered to be the most highly available treatment options for illicit drug use. Participants also indicated that treatment led to positive changes in their lives, highlighting the importance of drug treatment services for promoting the rights and responsibilities of people who use illicit drugs. Results support the need for services that value and respect the fundamental rights of people who use illicit drugs. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 58(4), 28-37.].