croatia, november 20072 i.“destigma” program awareness ii.romanian league for mental health...

Croatia, November 2007 2

I. “DESTIGMA” Program Awareness

II. Romanian League for Mental Health decides to get involved in the program

III. Constitution of the coordinating group


IV. Set Objectives

Increase Knowledge about schizophrenia

– Lectures for journalism students

– School evaluation

Improve attitude towards people with schizophrenia

– Newspaper articles

– Radio broadcasts

– Leaflets dissemination

– Art exhibition

– Theatre show


School evaluation activity

• To survey the subjects’ basic knowledge regarding schizophrenia and attitude towards people with schizophrenia.

Objective:


We used the following questionnaire: • The following statements are common beliefs about schizophrenia Can you tell

which are myths and which are facts?1. People with schizophrenia have a split personality. Myth Fact2. Schizophrenia is a brain disease. Myth Fact3. People with schizophrenia are likely to he violent Myth Fact4. Schizophrenia is caused by stress. Myth Fact

5 . One in one hundred people will develop schizophrenia over the course of their lifetime. Myth Fact

6. People with schizophrenia cannot work. Myth Fact7. People with schizophrenia usually need medication. Myth Fact8 People with schizophrenia are often mentally retarded

or of lower intelligence. Myth Fact9. Schizophrenia is caused by poor parenting. Myth Fact

Method


People have different experiences and feelings about people with schizophrenia. How do you feel about people

who have schizophrenia?

• Would you he afraid to talk to someone who had schizophrenia? ProbablyUnsure Probably Not

• Would you be upset or disturbed to be in the same class with

someone with schizophrenia? ProbablyUnsure Probably Not

• Would you make friends with someone who had schizophrenia? ProbablyUnsure Probably Not

• Would you feel embarrassed or ashamed if your friends knew that

someone in your family had schizophrenia? Probably Unsure Probably Not


Method

• Questionnaire applied on a sample of 1515 students from the 9th grade, from 14 high schools form 13 counties of Romania out of 41.


Fact94.5%

Myth5.5%

SCHIZOPHRENIA IS A BRAIN DISEASE

CLEAR OPINIONS


Fact68.3%

Myth31.7%

PEOPLE WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA ARE LIKELY TO BE VIOLENT`

CLEAR OPINIONS


Mith4.2%

Fact95.8%

PEOPLE WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA NEED MEDICATION

CLEAR OPINIONS


Myth89%

Fact11%

THERE IS NO DIRECT RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SCHIZOPHRENIA AND POOR PARENTING

CLEAR OPINIONS


Myth46.4%

Fact53.6%

PEOPLE WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA HAVE SPILT PERSONALITY

TENDENCIES


Myth56%

Fact44%

PEOPLE WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA CANNOT WORK

TENDENCIES


Myth43%

Fact57%

PEOPLE WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA ARE OFTEN MENTALLY RETARDED OR OF LOWER

INTELLIGENCE

TENDENCIES


Myth50%

Fact50%

SCHIZOPHRENIA IS CAUSED BY STRESS

UNCLEAR OPINIONS


Myth50%

Fact50%

ONE IN ONE HUNDRED PEOPLE WILL DEVELOP SCHIZOPHRENIA OVER THE COURSE OF THEIR

LIFETIME

UNCLEAR OPINIONS


Probably16.1%

Unsure33.2%

Probably not50.7%

WOULD YOU BE AFRAID TO TALK TO SOMEONE WHO HAD SCHIZOPHRENIA?

ATTITUDE TOWARDS PEOPLE WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA


Probably23.30%

Unsure32.50%

Probably not44.20%

WOULD YOU BE UPSET OR DISTURBED TO BE IN THE SAME CLASS WITH SOMEONE

WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA?



Probably41.20%

Unsure39.10%

Probably not19.70%

WOULD YOU MAKE FRIENDS WITH SOMEONE WHO HAD SCHIZOPHRENIA?



Unsure24.62%

Probably not31.33%

Probably44.04%

WOULD YOU FEEL EMBARRASSED OR ASHAMED IF YOUR FRIENDS KNEW THAT

SOMEONE IN YOUR FAMILY HAD SCHIZOPHRENIA?



Conclusions regarding the attitudes towards people with schizophrenia:

1. High proportion of the people who would not avoid a direct contact with people with schizophrenia

2. High percentage of the “unsure” answers due to the lack of knowledge regarding the illness

3. It is obvious the fact that most of the subjects would be embarrassed to make public the fact that one of the members of their family has schizophrenia

croatia, november 20072 i.“destigma” program awareness ii.romanian league for mental health...

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