Effects of Social Stigma on Schizophrenia Patients in the UK By Rapid Assignment Help
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Social stigma refers to the prejudices, beliefs, negative attitudes, and discrimination offered to individuals based on their disabilities or health issues or overall trait and nature. This is a social issue and burden as well as this stigma is affecting the health and well being of people. Stigma can manifest in various forms and can be associated with a wide range of attributes. Stigma in schizophrenia is one of the most neglected issues in the UK which is directly affecting the mental health of the patients. As per the information from the media reports and other published public opinion schizophrenia in the UK has a lot more negative associations in comparison to any other public health issue (Living with schizophrenia, 2023). Instead of being one of the most progressive nations in the world, the population is not beyond social prejudices. Mocking and shaming other people based on their disabilities is still in practice. People with mental illness are abandoned and isolated based on their conditions. This discrimination can be seen from schools in young age to workplace in adult age.
Negative ideas about the disease and some orthodox beliefs among the press public health workers and employers have a huge impact on patients. This is mentioned as a stigma. There are approximately 1% of the population is suffering from schizophrenia (Lethenborg, 2022). Mental health workers working in the mainstream of mental health illness and charities have stated that this stigma is one of the biggest issues that a mental health patient can face and in some cases, this stigma is even worse than the actual symptoms (Morgades-Bamba, Fuster-Ruizdeapodaca and Molero, 2019). This is one of the biggest drawbacks of social advancement. However, one of the major reason behind his have been identified as lack of knowledge among people and lack of social awareness. In most of the cases, mental illness is not treated as other physical health issues which are a subject of focus.
Impact of stigma has a huge negative impact on schizophrenic patients in the UK. This is the key issue that has been discussed here in this research.
Mental illness has been neglected in many communities in recent days as well. The negative approach of the people and community can make the outcomes worse in the case of patients with mental illness. As mentioned in Living with schizophrenia (2023) approximately 9 out of 10 people with mental illness stated that stigma and social discrimination hurt their daily lives. It can affect them in many areas like careers relationships livelihood and socialization.
As per the current records, more than 685000 people in the UK are having schizophrenia right now. Social stigma is making it worse for the patients day by day. As a result, the burden of disease is increasing throughout the nation. It is reported that 30% of the overall spending on mental health in NHS is on schizophrenia. The direct and indirect costs of the treatment for this disease are 2 billion and 4.7 billion pounds respectively (Mental Health Foundation, 2021). Hence considering this situation it is urgent to take steps to avoid stigma and make it easier for the patients to live a healthy life.
This research has discussed the impact of this stigma on the mental health condition of schizophrenic patients in the UK. This will help in analyzing the factors which are affecting the situation. Discussion has been made based on the information from legitimate literature sources. This discussion will be followed by some recommendations to manage the situation as well. Hence awareness will be increased through this discussion.
This research aims to analyse the impact of stigma in mental health illness on people
living with Schizophrenia in the UK.
To meet this aim researchers have developed some research questions to answer. Answering the research question can help the researchers to meet the aim. The research questions are as follows
RQ1: What are the prevalent forms and manifestations of stigma experienced by individuals
living with schizophrenia in the UK, and how do these impact their mental health, overall well-being, and social integration?
RQ2: How does stigma associated with schizophrenia affect individuals' willingness to seek and engage in mental health services and support systems in the UK?
RQ3: What are the potential consequences of delayed or inadequate access to appropriate mental health care due to stigma?
Using different sources of literature these questions will be answered and thus the aim of the research will be met. The process of literature selection is mentioned in the next section.
A descriptive research design has been followed in this research. The key sources of data that have been used here are secondary and the data type was qualitative. Hence, a secondary qualitative research method has been followed in this research. As a major part of this research information has been gathered from different sources and those have been used here to elaborate the concept and meet the research questions (Pandey and Pandey, 2021). This research process has been considered to be effective for analyzing such facts. As schizophrenia is a national burden of health in the UK and the rate is quite high there are lots of research which have been done in this area. Hence considering the time and cost required for the primary study this process has been considered as the most suitable in this case.
This research has followed the narrative literature review process based on the topic given. A narrative literature review approach is the process of a wide range of qualitative and quantitative studies, theoretical frameworks, and personal narratives to create a comprehensive understanding of the subject. In this case, this study has assessed the impact of stigma on people living with schizophrenia in the UK.
This approach involved the analysis of sources, such as academic papers, research articles, and reports, to analysis the impact of stigma and its role in the mental health condition of individuals with schizophrenia (based on the discussion of Pandey and Pandey, 2021). Through screening different narratives and literature, researchers gained thorough knowledge on the patient with mental health illness and are also suffering due to social stigma. As opined by Gupta and Gupta (2022), this method can help in the identification of different areas and aspects of the topic along with detailed information and theories.
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Through this method, researchers can focus on the severity of stigma, considering the influence of aspects like gender, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, and geographic location. It also sheds light on the positive effects of various policies, interventions, and support systems to mitigate stigma and its impact on this population (based on the discussion of Pandey and Pandey, 2021). This approach is effective in guiding future advocacy efforts, interventions, and policy changes aimed at reducing stigma and improving the lives of schizophrenic patients in the UK.
Data collection is one of the most important parts of any research as based on the collected data the analysis is done. In terms of collecting the data articles have been selected following the inclusion criteria. A secondary qualitative method has been followed here for data collection. Information has been collected from the articles to meet the research aim and answer the research questions. Thus the research has been accomplished.
Analysis of the data collected through the secondary qualitative method is done using a thematic analysis process. In this process, themes are developed based on the research questions (Pandey and Pandey, 2021). Those themes are analyzed using the information gathered from the article. As the analysis follows the themes it is called thematic analysis. Thematic analysis is done in a process that can help the researchers to meet the aim.
Ethical considerations in conducting a literature review are an important area to consider. While on the impact of stigma on people living with schizophrenia in the UK, this is important to uphold the dignity, rights, and confidentiality of individuals involved in the studies used for narrative review. In terms of conducting the secondary research, some ethical aspects should be followed by the researchers. One of the most important things in this case is following the Data Protection Act 2018. Following this act, none of the information should be copied from the selected articles. While taking the data from the articles proper references should be maintained by the researchers (Pandey and Pandey, 2021). All the papers should be cited properly. On the other hand, while using secondary sources authentication of the data should be checked and thus patent files should be avoided. It should be taken care of that none of the data is used for personal purpose or have been manipulated during the secondary research.
Confidentiality and Informed Consent: It will be ensured here that the studies included in the review have obtained informed consent from participants involved in the studies. Protecting the confidentiality of participants is essential to prevent any potential issue or breach of privacy. It will be checked that the studies considered here have provided proper ethical consideration in their studies.
Avoiding Harm and Sensationalism: Literature reviews must avoid any kind of sensationalizing or exploiting the experiences of individuals with medical issues. While considering studies with medical issues it should prioritize respect, dignity, and accuracy, of the information collected from the different participants. As opined by Hasan et al. (2021), recognizing and respecting cultural aspects and diversity is also important for a study that involves human participants. Ethical considerations involve ensuring that the reviewed literature and narratives consider avoiding generalizations, and cultural differences, and promoting inclusive representation.
Avoiding Bias and Objectivity: Minimizing biases and maintaining objectivity in the selection and interpretation of literature are also important areas of ethical consideration. Researchers should strive to include a diverse range of perspectives and studies to avoid undue influence from any particular viewpoint or source.
Acknowledgment of limitations and referencing: Narrative literature reviews should transparently acknowledge the limitations of the studies reviewed (Hasan et al. 2021). This includes identifying any potential biases within the selected literature and discussing the quality and reliability of the sources included. Apart from that, all the sources should be properly cited and no data should be manipulated.
Acknowledging Intellectual Property Rights: Gupta and Gupta (2022), stated that it is important to adhere to copyright laws and properly cite and attribute sources that have been used for the study. Giving proper credit to the original authors and studies ensures academic integrity and respects the intellectual property rights of researchers and participants.
This literature review on the effect of stigma on schizophrenic patients in the UK involves several theoretical principles that guide the analysis, exploration, and interpretation of existing knowledge and research.
Critical Analysis: Theoretical principles of a literature review involve critically analysing the existing knowledge. This includes discussing the strengths, weaknesses, and gaps in previous theories, studies, and methodologies related to stigma and schizophrenia (Hasan et al. 2021).
Synthesising gathered Information: This is the most important part of a literature review. Literature reviews aim to gather information from different sources in order to achieve a detailed understanding of the topic area (based on the discussion of Hasan et al. 2021). By analysing findings from various studies and the proposed theoretical frameworks, researchers can develop a holistic and detailed understanding of the impact of stigma on patients with schizophrenia in the UK.
Theoretical Frameworks: Using theoretical frameworks is effective in developing a structure for organizing the data and also helps in interpreting the studies that have been reviewed. In this case, theories related to psychology, sociology, social stigma, and healthcare have helped to gain the experiences of patients with schizophrenia within broader theoretical perspectives, allowing the in-depth of analysis.
Conceptual Understanding: Theoretical principles help the development of conceptual understanding by analysing key concepts of the literature. This process aids in identifying different themes, patterns, and connections across different studies and narratives, providing a deeper understanding of the complexities of stigma and its effects (based on the discussion of Pandey and Pandey, 2021). This process is important for analysing the future scope of the study and also identification of the limitations of the studies.
This process will help in analysing the key issues which have been developed over the years in this topic also providing an effective approach to resolve the conflicts. This is important for developing the key approaches that can help in future adherence to the work.
By adhering to these theoretical principles, literature reviews on this topic focus on contributing to a deeper analysis of stigma, and possible interventions, and stimulate further research in order to improve the lives of those affected by schizophrenia while addressing societal attitudes and perceptions.
In this research systematic approach to literature search has been followed by the researchers. As opined by Conneely et al. (2021), a systematic approach to literature search on this topic involves a rigorous and structured methodology aimed at providing in-depth knowledge and minimizing bias in the selection of relevant studies and narratives. This is one of the most important factors in the case of secondary research. As the research is based on secondary sources, researchers must select the literature properly. Literature should be relatable to the topic so that proper information can be extracted. Inclusion and exclusion criteria have been followed here to select the literature (Gupta and Gupta, 2022). In this aspect, step by step process has been followed here
Developing Research Questions or Objectives: The systematic approach first requires clearly defining research questions or objectives. These questions help in the search process, following the research aim and clarity in identifying relevant literature related to stigma and schizophrenia.
Search strategy development: Baker et al. (2019) stated, that in order to create detailed search strategies it is important to identify appropriate databases, keywords, and inclusion/exclusion criteria. This step is important for a systematic and comprehensive search across relevant journals, academic databases, grey literature, and other sources to gather diverse perspectives and findings.
Database Search: In order to get relevant and authentic sources it is important to conduct searches across multiple databases (such as PubMed, Medline, and CINAHL) based on the identified keywords and criteria. This step helps in retrieving a broad range of potentially relevant literature sources.
Screening and Selection: This is another major step of this process as it ensures the proper selection of studies. Initially, topic titles and abstracts are screened based on the mentioned inclusion and exclusion criteria to identify relevant studies. In this case, peer-reviewed and full-text articles have been considered.
Data Extraction and Synthesis: Hasan et al. (2021) stated that this is another major step of the systematic review process. Systematically extracting data from selected studies involves considering key information such as participants, study design, methodology, findings, and conclusions.
Analysis and Interpretation: This is the last step of this research process. In this process, extracted data is analysed. Analyzing the findings involves the identification of patterns, theories, and gaps in the literature, contributing to a detailed understanding of the impact of stigma on the mental illness of schizophrenic patients.
However, a proper systematic review requires to use of inclusion and exclusion criteria.
| Criteria | Inclusion | Exclusion |
| Population | Schizophrenic participants, Schizophrenia in UK, Stigma of mental illness and impact on schizophrenia | Other mental health conditions except schizophrenia |
| Geographic Scope | Studies placed in the United Kingdom | Studies placed outside the UK |
| Type of Literature | Peer-reviewed articles, | Non-peer-reviewed articles, patent copies, news articles |
| Both qualitative and quantitative research | n/a | |
| Language | Only English language | Languages other than English |
| Publication Date | Literatures published within the last 5 years | Literatures published more than 5 years ago |
| Relevance | Sociatel stigma among schizophrenic patients is the focus area | Social stigma in case of other mental illness other than schizophrenia (Hasan et al. 2021) |
Table 1: Inclusion exclusion criteria
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These criteria are important to narrow down the selection criteria of literature in order to ensure relevance and reliability specific to the topic.
Keywords play a pivotal role in searching relevant literature for the study. Here are some keywords that might be useful:
These were the key terms that were followed while selecting the articles using boolean characters “and” “or” (Gupta and Gupta, 2022). Articles have been selected and gradually following all the criteria they have been shortlisted to 6 articles used here for further research. PRISMA framework has been followed here for literature selection. Using these keywords separately or combinedly in database searches can help in retrieving studies, relevant articles, and narratives that specifically help to address the role of stigma in mental illness among the schizophrenic patients.
As stated by Pandey and Pandey (2021), the data analysis process is one of the most important areas of literature review. There are several steps for this which are
Data Preparation: The collected data, which could include qualitative narratives, clinical data, or quantitative measurements, is collected, organized, sorted, and formatted for analysis. This step ensures that the data is in a preferable form for the chosen analysis methods.
Descriptive Analysis (for Qualitative Data): This is the key data analysis process that has been followed here. In order to conduct the data analysis for narrative literature review thematic analysis has been done. In qualitative studies, thematic analysis involves identifying and interpreting suitable themes from the information gathered. In this process, the key focus behind developing the themes is to meet the research objectives. As opined by Gupta and Gupta (2022), analysis of themes must lead to answering all the research questions. In this case, researchers examined these themes to understand the nuances of how stigma affects the lives of individuals with schizophrenia, exploring the depth and complexity of their experiences. Data collected from the relevant articles have been used here for the thematic analysis. Discussion has been supported by different sources in this regard.
Thematic analysis is a qualitative data analysis technique that identifies themes suitable to the topic and data. In order to conduct a thematic analysis on the impact of stigma in mental health illness on people living with schizophrenia in the UK, the first step was to gather the data process that has been discussed above. This is included with studies and articles on patients living with schizophrenia in the UK. then the next step was to generate themes by grouping similar data together. These themes include the impact of stigma on their daily lives, their experiences with elevated mental illness, and their coping mechanisms. The next step is to review the themes to ensure that they accurately reflect the data (based on the discussion of Gupta and Gupta, 2022). Once, the themes are developed they must be defined to provide an overview of the theme and mention their relevance. The final step is to do the analysis, which involves summarizing the themes and providing examples from the data to support them. The analysis also includes a discussion of the implications of the findings and suitable suggestions for future research.
As stated by Hasan et al. (2021), thematic analysis is a useful method for analyzing secondary qualitative data, such as interviews or surveys. In terms of conducting a thematic analysis on the impact of stigma in mental health illness on the schizophrenic population in the UK, one would need to follow a detailed process from gathering data to developing themes and finally to analyse them. By following this process, researchers will be able to gain a better understanding of the experiences of the target population and develop effective interventions to mitigate the issue of stigma.
The key findings of this narrative literature review have been presented here through a thematic analysis process.
As stated by Plappert et al. (2019), social exclusion and mental health is multifaceted and complex. There are factors, such as environment, genetics, and life experiences, which play a role in the development of mental illness. However, social exclusion can trigger the issues more, and here the focus is on that. Conneely et al. (2021) stated that the relationship between social exclusion and mental health is a public health concern in the UK. In the UK, around 1 in 6 people seek treatment for mental ill health during their lifetime.
Figure 1: Prevalence of severe mental illness
On the other hand, around 1 in 100 people suffer an episode of schizophrenia at least once in their lifetime. However, schizophrenia occurs in all countries and societies of the world, and the increasing rate of this disease in the UK is alarming. As shown by Mirza et al. (2019), about 220,000 people are receiving treatment for schizophrenia in the UK by the NHS. Sufferers have a significant (approx 5 to 10%) chance of dying by their own hand within ten years of diagnosis, around 2.5 times higher than the general population. Only about 13% of the schizophrenic population in the UK is involved in any kind of work.
According to Edwards and Kotera (2021), stigma among the mentally ill (including schizophrenia) can contribute to a range of negative psychological and emotional impacts such as low self-esteem, diminished self-efficacy, and depressive symptoms. The key concept of social stigma suggests that stigmatized persons may have some characteristics that are related to a disvalued social identity in a particular social situation. Stigma is a process that is featured within the concept of the construction of social identity. Societal stigma directly impacts the self-perception and identity of a schizophrenic patient. As stated by Gwarjanski and Parrott (2018), there are several factors that can be significant predictors of perceived stigma among schizophrenic patients including educational residency, status, non-adherence to medication, social withdrawal, duration of illness, old age, marital status, and low self-esteem.
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As shown in the 2014 “Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey (APMS)”, around 0.5% of people aged 16 years or more in England had gone through a diagnosis of a psychotic disorder (like schizoaffective disorder, schizophrenia, or affective psychosis) within a year. In the UK, approx 685,000 people (around 1% of the population) have been diagnosed with schizophrenia (Bhavsar et al. 2019).
Stigma related to schizophrenia is a rising concern in the UK. Apart from mental health, It can also cause discrimination in education, employment, and housing. This is a financial burden as well. Hence, pre-diagnosis and thorough treatment are suggested. For every £1 spent on early intervention psychosis teams that deal with young people in their initial stages of schizophrenia, £18 is saved Bhavsar et al. 2019).
According to a study by Smith et al. (2019), some schizophrenic people reported the feeling that they face internal obstacles in their relationships as a result of their mental health condition, including a disbalance in emotions and decreased trust toward others. Along with that, they had deficits in social, emotional, and cognitive skills, which some participants explained as feeling like they were “losing a part of themselves”.
Figure 2: Conceptual model for barriers to seeking help for mental illness
One of the biggest barriers to schizophrenia treatment is a lack of awareness about the severity of this disorder and a misunderstanding of the symptoms (Byrne et al. 2019). In order to resolve this issue families can learn to recognize the signs and symptoms of schizophrenia: delusional thoughts, auditory or visual hallucinations, compulsive movements, confusion and irrational thoughts, memory difficulties, lack of concentration and focus, and emotional numbness or volatility (Smith et al. 2019). Social judgments can be another reason to create a barrier for schizophrenic patients to stop them from seeking help.
Reducing social stigma related to schizophrenia is linked to managing the mental health of individuals living with this condition. This theme has discussed how combating stigma plays a vital role in improving the mental health outcomes of schizophrenic patients:
As stated earlier social stigma often stops individuals from seeking help or relying on treatment due to fear of judgment or social discrimination. Hence, by reducing stigma, one may feel more comfortable seeking professional help and taking treatment, leading to managing the early symptoms better and improving mental well-being.
Stigma is a leading cause of feelings of loneliness, social isolation, and alienation among schizophrenic patients. As opined by Ahmed et al. (2020), positive social interaction can help in reducing stigma and help in developing a more inclusive environment through support networks, which are crucial for mental health.
Stigmatizing societal attitudes can create negative self-perception and develop identity crises among schizophrenic patients. This also impacts on the mental well-being of people. Hence, securing the mental wellbeing can help to have a better mental health. This can be achieved by challenging stereotypes and promoting understanding (Tyler and Slater, 2018).
In this case, it can be stated that adherence to treatment is one of the most important things. In this regard, patients must have proper knowledge about the factors contributing the mental health. In order to gain proper knowledge, it is important for the patients and families to have health care education and understand the self-management procedure (based on the discussion of Huggett et al. 2018). This can help in gaining a positive approach. Seeking help is one of the most important factors and that can be achieved by having a positive perception.
Apart from reducing stigma another important factor is to empower individuals affected by schizophrenia in order to advocate for their rights and get easy access to mental health resources. Increased advocacy and empowerment can help to get better access to tailored mental health services, significantly influencing mental health management (Read and Harper, 2022).
Hence, it can be stated from this discussion that, reducing social stigma is integral to improving the mental health of schizophrenic patients. This can be gained through developing knowledge, understanding the symptoms, and developing a societal environment.
In the UK, considering stigma as a mental health concern, various frameworks, policies, and practices are followed to address and manage social stigma related to mental health, including schizophrenia. These initiatives focus on reducing stigma, promoting understanding, and creating supportive environments. Some relevant and effective policies and frameworks have been discussed below.
The Mental Health Act 1983 (amended 2007) is significant legislation in this case, which provides the legal framework for the care and treatment of individuals with mental disorders, like schizophrenia. The amendment was done to emphasize the rights and autonomy of patients in terms of ensuring that they receive appropriate care (Gov. UK, 2022).
On the other hand, the Cross-Government Mental Health Strategy includes a series of strategies launched by the UK government focusing on mental health, such as "No Health Without Mental Health" and "The Five Year Forward View for Mental Health." These strategies emphasize mitigating stigma and developing mental health services (Gov. UK, 2022).
As a part of the National Health Service (NHS) Initiative “Time to Change Campaign”, which is Run by Mind and Rethink Mental Illness, aims to change behaviors and attitudes toward mental health by promoting open conversations and challenging stereotypes. Another initiative by NHS is “Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT)”. This initiative focuses on increasing access to evidence-based psychological therapies, which can help to reduce stigma by making mental health support more accessible (Garratt, 2023).
Apart from that, there are some educational programs and frameworks as well. As per the National Curriculum, In England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, steps have been taken to include mental health education in school curricula (Bowen, Kinderman and Cooke, 2019). This helps foster understanding and reduce stigma from a younger age. Apart from that, various programs have been launched to train healthcare providers to improve understanding, reduce stigma, and deliver better care for individuals with mental health issues like schizophrenia. In order to boost these initiatives, workplace policies and practices also play an important role. These practices, encourage organizations to create mentally healthy workplaces by adopting policies that support employees' mental health and address stigma. As opined by Pyle et al. (2018), workplaces provide mental health first-aid training to employees, in order to promote awareness and create supportive environments for schizophrenic employees. Initiatives at the grassroots levels of this situation include community practices to avoid stigma. In this regard, several local support groups and charities across the UK provide advocacy, services, and peer support, reducing social isolation and challenging stigma at the community level. Such programs at community levels facilitate peer support among individuals with lived experiences of mental health conditions help fight stigma and offer valuable support.
Despite these initiatives, challenges are faced in fully eradicating stigma. In this regard, efforts continue to focus on evaluating, monitoring, and refining these policies and practices to ensure their effectiveness in fostering understanding, reducing social stigma, and creating more inclusive and supportive environments for individuals affected by schizophrenia and other mental health issues (Simkhada et al. 2021).
This study has provided some major scopes for future research and based on that some recommendations have been documented here. These are as follows
Promoting education and awareness: The government should invest in targeted and ongoing public awareness campaigns leveraging diverse platforms to challenge stereotypes and increase knowledge of mental health conditions. Apart from that, Pyle et al. (2018), mentioned youth education as a major part of this situation. Strengthening mental health education in school curricula, along with integrating discussions on stigma reduction and empathy-building from a young age can help for better social development.
Reinforcement of policies:
In terms of managing the social stigma, it is important to review and update mental health policies regularly to ensure alignment with evolving social attitudes and the needs of mental health patients. Along with that, workplace support is also important. In this case, it is important to develop a proper training process for the education and training system for the community population. The future scope of this research is to analysing the factors developing stigma for mental health issues (Garratt, 2023). Normalising mental health issues as physical health issues can be effective in this case to provide proper treatment and support to the targeted population. Spreading knowledge and awareness is the key to maintaining this process. Hence, it is important for the researchers to identify the best way to spread awareness. One of the best recommendations that can be made here is regarding social media promotion. In this current time, social media is one of the most active platforms where a lot of people can be engaged at a time. Hence, this opportunity can be taken into account to spread awareness about the signs and symptoms of schizophrenia considering it as a vital medical aspect in the UK. Along with that, the true face of social stigma and its negative effects can be shown to society as well (Read and Harper, 2022). Thus spreading awareness can be a future area of development as a continuation of this research.
The discussion on managing social stigma related to schizophrenia and mental health in the UK, as presented earlier, has several limitations that should be acknowledged:
This study possesses limited scope as research. The major reason behind this is the broad area of this topic. The discussion provided an overview of initiatives but did not discuss deeply into specific programs or their effectiveness. As the study has focused on the social stigma and its effects, it has not focused on the solutions. The complexity of the situation has not been discussed in detail in this case and thus, it has not focused on the interventions.
The discussion lacked recent statistical data or specific case studies from 2020 to 2023 to support the analysis and recommendations, as real-time data wasn't accessible. This was a major drawback of this study as there was limited data on this research area (based on the comments of Read and Harper, 2022). Only the rate of schizophrenia has been identified here. Data regarding stigma and its impact were too little to develop a critical argument.
Strategies and initiatives might differ across different regions of the UK, and the discussion has not accounted for these variations. Apart from that, the cultural context of stigma has been ignored here as well. The discussion did not deeply explore how cultural factors might impact stigma-reducing initiatives and several intervention initiatives within diverse communities.
There was a lack of discussion on the implementation methods or outcomes of existing anti-stigma programs, which are important for understanding their impact. Also, the assessment is based on the secondary information. The lack of primary data is a major drawback of the study. Taking information directly from the target population could be more effective along with discussion with the policy makers regarding the enforcement of the policies (based on the analysis of Huggett et al. 2018).
Policy Gaps: The discussion did not address specific policy gaps or challenges in the enforcement of existing mental health policies and initiatives. In-depth research on the policies is important to understand their effectiveness. Once, the policy has been identified, it is important to focus on the implementation process through resource allocation which is missing here. Lack of discussion on resource allocation challenges in implementing and sustaining effective anti-stigma programs also, there was limited analysis of future research directions or areas requiring further investigation to enhance understanding and effectiveness of anti-stigma efforts (based on the discussion of Garratt, 2023).
Acknowledging these limitations is crucial for recognizing the areas that require further data collection, investigation, and nuanced analysis to develop more effective strategies for decreasing social stigma and improving overall mental health outcomes for individuals having schizophrenia in the UK.
Conclusion
This conclusion aims to summarize the key aspects discussed in the narrative literature review mentioning the ongoing nature of the challenge and the need for continuous improvement in fighting the social stigma surrounding schizophrenia and mental health in the UK. Hence, it can be stated the management of social stigma for schizophrenia and mental health patients in the UK requires collaborative efforts, comprehensive strategies, and ongoing evaluation. The discussion mentioned various frameworks, policies, and practices aimed at fostering understanding, reducing stigma, and creating supportive environments for schizophrenic individuals.
Efforts help government policies such as the “Mental Health Act” and national strategies, including the “Time to Change campaign”, emphasizing the importance of awareness, education, and community engagement. Educational programs, Workplace policies, and grassroots initiatives were identified as important components in managing stigma.
However, the discussion mentions several limitations, including the lack of current data, the need for in-depth evaluation of interventions, the lack of consideration of regional and cultural variations, and the lack of primary study. Addressing these limitations is important for refining existing strategies and implementing more targeted and effective initiatives.
The recommendations for future action include mental health education and enhanced policy implementation. Different platforms and media can be used here to spread awareness regarding this research. In essence, while significant studies have been done in addressing social stigma related to schizophrenia and mental health in the UK, there remains an ongoing need for continuous efforts, collaboration, and effective adaptation to create a more inclusive and stigma-free society.
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