STIGMA OF MENTAL ILLNESS: FINDINGS FROM YOBE STATE, NIGERIA
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Authors: Sabo Saleh Dagona
Keywords: sitgma, mental Illness, Yobe State, Nigeria
Abstract: Background: Discrimination negatively affects people with mental illnesses. Several studies on the effects on the stigma of mental illness have been conducted. No study was conducted to find how the people in Yobe state view the mentally ill. Aims: This study aims at investigating how people in Yobe state, North-Eastern Nigeria view the mentally ill individuals and how they are willing to relate and interact with them. Method: Participants: Trained research assistants selected one hundred and sixty participants above 17 years from the three zones that make up the political divisions of Yobe state. Instrument: Community awareness of mental illness (CAMI) scale was used to assess the respondents’ attitudes towards the mentally ill. Results: The findings reveal that over three-quarter of the participants disagree that mental illness is an illness like other illnesses. Over 70% want mentally ill people hospitalised, locked behind doors and should not be entrusted with child-care. Conversely, only 40% of participants believed everyone can be mentally ill. More so, 74% participants agreed that mentally ill people do not deserve sympathy; taxpayers’ money should not be spent on their care and 53% participants described the mentally ill as a burden on the society and they would not relate with them. Again, more than three-quarter of the participants believed mentally ill women should not hold public offices and should not be married to a healthy person even if they fully recovered. A total of 85% of participants would not accept people with mental illness living in their neighbourhood and more than 50% would not agree to have a mental health facility in their community. Discussion: Findings were discussed along with the already existing literature and recommendations were offered on community sensitisation and mass awareness campaign to improve mental health literacy in Yobe state. Conclusion: Negative views about mental illness are widespread in Yobe state owing to poor knowledge about mental illness, availability of treatment and negative beliefs about its cause. Such negative beliefs place the mentally ill at a disadvantage in terms of social relationships, employment and access to health and social services. Unless actions are taken to make people aware that mental illness is the same as physical illness and can affect anyone, irrespective of age, gender, education, or socioeconomic status, individuals with mental illness will continue to suffer societal discrimination.