Mental illness stigma: Strategies to address a barrier to care

Abstract

Mental illness (MI) is extremely prevalent worldwide. Despite recent efforts to raise awareness through screening and early identification, MI stigma remains high and is recognized as a major barrier to recovery. Nurse practitioners play a key role in overcoming stigma to facilitate appropriate treatment and recovery. The various aspects of MI stigma, tools to measure stigma, and intervention strategies to decrease stigma among healthcare professionals and individuals suffering from MI are discussed. Disparities between women and men are also reviewed.