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The economic impact of mental health stigma and discrimination: A systematic review

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 April 2011

Jessica Sharac ,
Paul Mccrone ,
Sarah Clement  and
Graham Thornicroft
Jessica Sharac
Affiliation:
Centre for the Economics of Mental Health, Health Service and Population Research Department, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London (United Kingdom)
Paul Mccrone*
Affiliation:
Centre for the Economics of Mental Health, Health Service and Population Research Department, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London (United Kingdom)
Sarah Clement
Affiliation:
Section of Community Mental Health, Health Service and Population Research Department, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London (United Kingdom)
Graham Thornicroft
Affiliation:
Section of Community Mental Health, Health Service and Population Research Department, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London (United Kingdom)
*
Address for correspondence: Dr. P. McCrone, PO24 CEMH, Health Service and Population Research Department, Institute of Psychiatry, De Crespigny Park, London SE5 8AF (United kingdom). Fax: +44 (0) 20 7277 1462 E-mail: paul.mccrone@kcl.ac.uk
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Summary

People with mental illness face stigma and discrimination in a variety of settings which can have an economic impact. Aim – The aim of this paper was to identify literature on the economic impact of mental illness stigma. Methods – A systematic review of the literature identified 30 papers from 27 studies by searching electronic databases and hand searching reference lists. Results – Mental illness stigma/discrimination was found to impact negatively on employment, income, public views about resource allocation and healthcare costs. Conclusions – Stigma and discrimination regarding mental health problems lead to adverse economic effects for people with these conditions. Interventions that reduce stigma may therefore also be economically beneficial.

Declaration of Interest: This study was funded in relation to a National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Applied Programme grant awarded to the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, and in relation to the NIHR Specialist Mental Health Biomedical Research Centre at the Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London and the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust. There is no conflict of interest in connection with the submitted article.

Keywords

systematic reviewmental disordersattitude to healthcost of illnessdiscriminationstigmaemployment.
Type
Original Articles
Information
Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences , Volume 19 , Issue 3 , September 2010 , pp. 223 - 232
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2010

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