The Effect of Stigma on Quality of Life among People with Mental Illnesses

Stigma associated with mental illness adds to the public health burden of mental illness itself. Stigma impedes recovery by eroding individuals social status, network, and self-esteem, all of which contribute to poor outcomes. Mental health professionals and researchers have emphasized the importance of linking stigma to a decline in well-being and life satisfaction among individuals with serious and persistent mental illnesses. The aim of this study is to examine the effect of stigma on quality of life for people with mental illnesses. The research design utilized in this study is a descriptive exploratory correlational design. A sample of convenience of 100 mentally ill patients who attended Outpatient Clinics of the Mental Health and Addiction Prevention Hospital at El Manial University Hospital, Cairo, Egypt. Tools for data collection were: Socio demographic and medical data sheet, Quality of life scale and Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness Inventory. The results showed that; most of the studied sample was stigmatized; in addition the highest percentage demonstrated moderate degree of QOL, while a lower percentage reported high quality of life, and the least percentage had experienced low quality of life. The study concludes that, caring for mentally ill people and conveying no discriminatory attitude from health care system and all of the surrounding society will decrease their sense of stigma and affect positively their quality of life. Further investigation is needed to examine the other adverse effects of stigma of mental illness and how to encounter these effects.