Adolescent stigma towards drug addiction: Effects of age and drug use behaviour

The objective of this study was to examine adolescent age and experience with drug use on stigmatizing attitudes toward drug addiction. Data were derived from the  2005 cycle of the Ontario Student Drug Use Survey. In total, 4078, 7- to 12-graders completed self-administered questionnaires that included a measure of drug abuse stigma. Results indicated that stigma scores were higher among younger than older adolescents, and the decline across age was robust, occurring among both males and females and those from rural and non-rural areas. The decline, however, was stronger among non-drug users and among those who had no close friends that use drugs. Despite the age-related decline, the level of stigma in general suggested that drug abuse stigma may continue into adulthood. Findings highlight that individual attitudes toward drug use and drug abusers are salient factors for personal drug use. Given that stigma is a barrier to treatment, but reduced stigma may encourage greater adolescent use, this study highlights the need for more in-depth studies of drug stigma.     

Transition experience of parents caring of children with epilepsy: a phenomenological study

BACKGROUND: Families who have a child with epilepsy show a significant impact on both the dynamics of the child's development and family systems in a social context. Knowledge of a family's lived experience in dealing with the early stages of their child's illness will provide a deeper understanding of their life and coping process. Most studies have focused on the child's developmental issues, parental attitudes, coping strategies and the child's adjustment. In order to assist families to cope with the early stage of having a child with epilepsy, nurses need to understand the nature of a family's lived experience. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the essence of the family health-illness transition experience from the parental perspective when a child is afflicted with epilepsy. DESIGN: Colaizzi's phenomenological approach was used. In-depth interviews were conducted with ten couples with regard to the first one and a half years after the diagnosis of epilepsy. SETTINGS AND PARTICIPANTS: Ten couples from two medical centers in Taiwan participated in the study. The age range of the children at diagnosis was 0.2-4.3 years. METHODS: Open attitude and imaginative variation techniques were used to investigate the meanings of the experience. This study used Colaizzi's method with both destructured and restructured analysis. Lincoln and Guba's trustworthiness criteria were employed to evaluate methodological rigor. RESULTS: Three concepts emerged: parents' psychological reactions, parental coping patterns and family resources. The parents' psychological reaction was that of being emotionally traumatized and physically exhausted. Parental coping patterns were vigilant parenting and aimed at reframing roles, facing the social challenge and assisting the child's social re-integration. The nature of family resources was family resiliency. The findings provide a scientific knowledge base for nurses when assisting parents and children during the health to illness transitional phase following a diagnosis of epilepsy.     

Combining education and video-based contact to reduce stigma of mental illness: “The Same or Not the Same” anti-stigma program for secondary schools in Hong Kong

This study examined the effects of three versions of school-based stigma reduction programs against mental illness – education, education followed by video-based contact (education–video), and video-based contact followed by education (video–education). The participants, 255 students from three secondary schools in Hong Kong, completed measures of stigmatizing attitudes (Public Stigma Scale), social distance (Social Distance Scale), and knowledge about schizophrenia (Knowledge Test) at pre-test, post-test, and 1-month follow-up. Results suggested that adding video-based contact to education could significantly improve program effectiveness only when video-based contact was presented after but not prior to education. In comparison with the education condition, the education–video condition showed larger improvements in stigmatizing attitudes at post-test, in social distance at both post-test and follow-up, and in knowledge at follow-up. However, such differences were not observed when the education condition was compared with the video–education condition. Implications of these findings for future research are discussed.     

Quality of Life after Epilepsy Surgery in Korea

Background and purpose

Temporal changes in the quality of life (QOL) and the underlying factors after epilepsy surgery might be specific to Korea, where social stigma toward patients with epilepsy is still pronounced.

Methods

The seizure characteristics, number of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs), and the presence of stigma, anxiety, and depression were assessed before and after surgery (at 6 months and around 2 years) in 32 surgery patients and 32 nonsurgery patients. The QOL was compared between these groups using the Epilepsy Surgery Inventory-55 questionnaire. The factors affecting QOL were also evaluated.

Results

The scores in the mental, physical, and role-functioning domains were significantly higher at 6 months (all p<0.01) and around 2 years (all p<0.01) than at baseline in the surgery group but not in the nonsurgery group. The factors related to QOL differed at the two follow-up times, with seizure freedom being important at 6 months, and AEDs and depression being important at around 2 years.

Conclusions

A marked increase in QOL in our population was observed after epilepsy surgery. Although the small sample limits the interpretation of the results, the QOL change in our surgery patients shows similar trends to those reported in Western countries. A full understanding of underlying factors related to QOL might aid the development of optimal strategies for improving the long-term postsurgery QOL in this population.     

Social stigma for adults and children with epilepsy

Summary   For many people with epilepsy, the continuing social reality of their condition is as a stigma. Epilepsy stigma has three different levels; internalized, interpersonal, and institutional. While there have been documented improvements in public attitudes towards epilepsy, the remnants of "old" ideas about epilepsy continue to inform popular concepts resulting in a difficult social environment for those affected. The social and quality of life problems arising from a diagnosis of epilepsy can represent greater challenges than are warranted by its clinical severity. The relationship between stigma and impaired quality of life is well documented. Tackling the problem of stigma effectively requires that all three of different levels at which it operates are systematically addressed.     

Public stigma and the perception of rights: Differences between intellectual and physical disabilities

Stigma may have detrimental effects on the rights of individuals with disabilities. This study examined the association between stigma and the perception of rights of people with intellectual disabilities and people with physical disabilities. Telephone interviews using vignette methodology were conducted with a nationally representative sample of 605 adults. Items included stereotypes, prejudice, behavioral reactions and the perception of rights of these individuals. More negative stereotypes, greater social distance and greater withdrawal behaviors were found toward people with intellectual disabilities as compared to people with physical disabilities. Lower support of rights was found toward people with intellectual disabilities as compared to people with physical disabilities. Lower degree of acceptance and higher perception of dangerousness were associated with greater social distance, which was related to lower perception of rights. Programs should aim at decreasing social distance to improve support to exercise rights, especially among people with intellectual disabilities.