Attitudes of health professionals towards the stigma surrounding depression in times of economic crisis.

Introduction: The stigma of mental illness and the ensuing social exclusion are due to the lack of knowledge on the causality of mental illness. Aim: The purpose of this study was to record the stigmatic attitudes of health professionals towards depression, patients suffering from it and the available therapeutic approaches. Material and Methods: The sample of the study included 609 health professionals working in the General Hospital of Corinth. The collection of the empirical material was performed using an anonymous questionnaire. The statistical analysis was performed with the statistical program SPSS 17.0. Results: Although the health professionals showed more optimistic attitudes towards the abilities of the mentally ill, they seem to maintain stereotypes, proving that stigmatization of the mentally ill and prejudice around mental illness continue to exist. Participants identified psychosocial and psychotherapeutic interventions as the most effective forms of therapy, such as supportive social destination (74.4%), healthy eating and physical activity (67.9%), psychoanalysis (60.6%), relaxation techniques (60.5%) and counselling (53.2%), recording ambivalent attitudes towards psychiatric medicines, questioning their effectiveness. The economic crisis has had a direct impact on health professionals as well burdened their psyche (78.3%) and created problems in everyday work (86.7%). Conclusion: Health professionals must be protagonists, free from the stigma attached to mental illness as only in this way will they be able to transmit optimism and feelings of acceptance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]