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Effectiveness of Changing Minds campaign factsheets in reducing stigmatised attitudes towards mental illness

Consultant in Addictions Psychiatry, South Essex Partnership NHS Trust, Honorary Consultant in Addictions Psychiatry, Cambridge and Peterborough Mental Health NHS Trust, The Taylor Centre, Queensway House, Essex Street, Southend on Sea, Essex SS4 1RB, email: sl006h3607{at}blueyonder.co.uk

Okon Umoh

Locum Consultant in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Child and Family Service, Southend on Sea, Essex

Mohammed Sessay

Staff Grade in Addictions Psychiatry, Merton Community Drug Team, St George’s Hospital and South West London NHS Trust

Arghya Sarkhel

Specialist Registrar in Psychiatry, The Taylor Centre, Southend on Sea, Essex

Declaration of interest

None.

AIMS AND METHOD

To assess the effect of factsheets from the Royal College of Psychiatrists’ Changing Minds campaign on stigmatised attitudes of members of the general public towards those with mental illness. Participants were recruited at random from a panel of over 1200 members of the general population and presented with questionnaires containing single-page factsheets adapted from the Changing Minds campaign describing schizophrenia or substance use disorders. The Attitudes to Mental Illness Questionnaire (AMIQ) was used to measure the effect on stigmatised attitudes.

RESULTS

In total 200 questionnaires were distributed; 158 completed questionnaires were received (response rate 79%). The AMIQ scores for the alcoholism and schizophrenia vignettes did not differ between experimental and control groups. Fidelity questions included in the questionnaire indicated that participants had read and understood the factsheets.

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

Didactic factsheets produced for the Changing Minds campaign were largely ineffective at changing stigmatised attitudes towards schizophrenia and alcoholism.