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Stigma Related Avoidance in People Living with Severe Mental Illness (SMI): Findings of an Integrative Review

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Abstract

The purpose of this integrative review is to synthesize primary evidence of the impact of internalized stigma on avoidance in adult community treatment patients living with SMI. A keyword database search of articles published through 2015 yielded 21 papers and a total of 4256 patients. Our analyses found that stigmatizing beliefs associated with avoidance are related to significant loss of self-esteem. Factors generally thought to reduce stigma internalized as self-stigmatizing beliefs, such as improved insight, increased self-awareness, and psycho-education to improve stigma coping skills, do not appear to improve self-esteem.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Susan Zahner, RN, DrPH, and Professor University of Wisconsin Madison School of Nursing, Journey Mental Health Center- Fordem Connections Community Support Programs of Madison Wisconsin, Jennifer Morgan, Nursing Student Research Assistant, University of Wisconsin Madison School of Nursing, and Carrie Tobin, Senior Program Assistant, UW-Madison School of Nursing for their significant contributions to the first author’s Masters Public Health Capstone Project and manuscript. The research was partially supported by training funds awarded to the first author.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. MPH Program, University of Wisconsin Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA

    Sadat Abiri

  2. Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Program, University of Wisconsin Madison School of Nursing, 4171 Signe Skott Cooper Hall, 701 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI, 53705, USA

    Sadat Abiri & Linda Denise Oakley

  3. Department of Health Sciences Library, University of Wisconsin Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, 750 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI, 53705, USA

    Mary E. Hitchcock

  4. Fordem Connections Community Support Programs, Journey Mental Health Center, West Washington Avenue, Madison, WI, USA

    Sadat Abiri & Amanda Hall

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  1. Sadat Abiri
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Correspondence to Linda Denise Oakley.

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Abiri, S., Oakley, L.D., Hitchcock, M.E. et al. Stigma Related Avoidance in People Living with Severe Mental Illness (SMI): Findings of an Integrative Review. Community Ment Health J 52, 251–261 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-015-9957-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-015-9957-2

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