title: Social perceptions about community life with people with mental illness: study of a discharge program in Buenos Aires province, Argentina.
abstract: Effects of living near people with mental illness in community settings have been researched as part of psychiatric reform evaluation. However, these studies have been carried out mostly in industrialized countries, where social contexts differ from those in which psychiatric reform is now being implemented. To analyze the effects of community life with people with mental illness in the neighborhoods in which they live, in Buenos Aires, Argentina. A questionnaire was administered to randomly-selected neighbors of group homes of a discharge program and an equivalent control area (n = 236). Data was analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively. Significant differences were found between being a neighbor and having a high degree of acceptance toward people with mental illness. In addition, significant associations were found between neighbors having a high-perceived social cohesion and having a high level of acceptance toward the mentally ill. Living near people with mental illness is associated with better acceptance toward them; these results are congruent with those results found in other cultural contexts.
authors: Scientific and Technical Research National Council of Argentina (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina, saraardi@gmail.com.
authors: Sara
authors: S
authors: Ardila-Gómez
authors: Guadalupe
authors: G
authors: Ares-Lavalle
authors: Marina
authors: M
authors: Fernández
authors: María Isabel
authors: MI
authors: Hartfiel
authors: Mariana
authors: M
authors: Borelli
authors: Valeria
authors: V
authors: Canales
authors: Alicia
authors: A
authors: Stolkiner
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001118:Argentina; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003156:Community Mental Health Services; D005260:Female; D016352:Group Homes; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012938:Social Perception; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014505:Urban Population; D055815:Young Adult