Advance Nursing Research: Informed Consent Form

The Details of Your EBP Project.

EBP Project Proposal Draft

Research topic

To assess the role of stigma towards mental health patients in help seeking.

Research problem

Most studies have shown that stigmatization towards mental health patients have been present throughout history and even despite the evolution in modern medicine and advanced treatment. Stigmatization have resulted from the belief that those with mental problem are aggressive and dangerous creating a social distance (Szeto et al., 2017). Also, mental health-related stigma has become of major concern as it creates crucial barriers to access treatment and quality care since it not only influences the behaviour of the patients but also the attitude of the providers hence impacting help-seeking. Most studies have identified stigma as a barrier that is of significance to care or help seeking while the extent to which it still remains a barrier have not been reviewed deeply. Therefore, this study will assess the role contributed by stigma in help seeking in depth.

Research purpose

The intention of the research study is to review the association between stigma, mental illness and help seeking in order to assess in depth the role that mental-health stigma contribute in help seeking.

Research objectives

a) To review the background history of mental-health related stigma and mental problem or illness

b) To explore the impacts of stigma

c) To assess an association between the contributing factors of stigma to help seeking

d) To assess the extent in which these factors of stigma contribute to help seeking.

e) To assess the risk factors influencing help seeking with regard to stigma

Research questions

a) What is the association between stigma towards mental health patients and help-seeking?

b) To what degree does stigma constitute a barrier to the search for help among mental health patients?

c) Are there populations that are more deterred from seeking help due to stigma?

Research Hypothesis

Ho: stigma towards mental health patients have a significant role in influencing help seeking

Ha: the extent to which stigma influences help seeking is not significant

Theoretical framework

Stigma has been described as a negative effect of a label and the product of disgrace that makes a person to be apart from others (Henderson et al., 2013). It is built upon distinct constructs prejudice, discrimination, and stereotypes (Henderson et al., 2013). For example, believing that those people diagnosed with mental illness is stereotype. Also, agreeing with the fact that those with mental problem are indeed dangerous with a resultant fear or anger is prejudice while discrimination is the total avoidance to those with mental conditions as a result of prejudice and stereotype. Mental problem or illness is a condition that distorts an individual’s capability to relate to others, thinking, mood feeling and also daily functioning (Szeto et al., 2017).

Many studies have reported an existence of negative attitudes with regard to mental health problem and social distance (Henderson et al., 2013). This is because those persons with mental problem are regarded as dangerous, a public nuisance and aggressive. Some of the contributing factors include the media which influences the society’s view, public perception which is influenced by the level of understanding towards mental health problems and the illness itself and also reluctance to seek help which contribute to further stigmatization. Stigma is therefore seen as barrier since it inhibits a person from seeking help hence resulting to a treatment gap and advancement in medical programs meant to reduce cases of medical care (Szeto et al., 2017). Therefore, mental health-related stigma is seen to influence help seeking by creating a general pattern of behavior and attitudes.

References

Henderson, C., Evans-Lacko, S., & Thornicroft, G. (2013). Mental Illness Stigma, Help Seeking, and Public Health Programs. American Journal of Public Health, 103(5), 777-780. doi:10.2105/ajph.2012.301056

Knaak, S., Mantler, E., & Szeto, A. (2017). Mental illness-related stigma in healthcare. Healthcare Management Forum, 30(2), 111-116. doi:10.1177/0840470416679413