title: Experience of stigma and discrimination reported by people experiencing the first episode of schizophrenia and those with a first episode of depression: The FEDORA project.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To record and measure the nature and severity of stigma and discrimination experienced by people during a first episode of schizophrenia and those with a first episode of major depressive disorder.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Discrimination and Stigma Scale (DISC-12) was used in a cross-sectional survey to elicit service user reports of anticipated and experienced discrimination by 150 people with a diagnosis of first-episode schizophrenia and 176 with a diagnosis of first-episode major depressive disorder in seven countries (Austria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Poland, Romania, Sweden and Turkey).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants with a diagnosis of major depressive disorder reported discrimination in a greater number of life areas than those with schizophrenia, as rated by the total DISC-12 score (p = .03). With regard to specific life areas, participants with depression reported more discrimination in regard to neighbours, dating, education, marriage, religious activities, physical health and acting as a parent than participants with schizophrenia. Participants with schizophrenia reported more discrimination with regard to the police compared to participants with depression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Stigma and discrimination because of mental illness change in the course of the mental diseases. Future research may take a longitudinal perspective to better understand the beginnings of stigmatisation and its trajectory through the life course and to identify critical periods at which anti-stigma interventions can most effectively be applied.
authors.affiliation: Health Service and Population Research Department, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, UK elizabeth.a.corker@kcl.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Elizabeth A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Corker
authors.affiliation: Al. Obregia Clinical Psychiatric Hospital, Bucharest, Romania.
authors.forename: Alina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Beldie
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden Nå Ut-teamet, Psychosis Clinic, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Cecilia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Brain
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Miro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jakovljevic
authors.affiliation: Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology, Warszawa, Poland.
authors.forename: Marek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jarema
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Psychiatry, Sisli Etfal Education and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Oguz
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Karamustafalioglu
authors.affiliation: Psychiatrie I, LKH Rankweil, Rankweil, Austria.
authors.forename: Josef
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Marksteiner
authors.affiliation: Prague Psychiatric Center, Prague, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Pavel
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mohr
authors.affiliation: Al. Obregia Clinical Psychiatric Hospital, Bucharest, Romania.
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Prelipceanu
authors.affiliation: Al. Obregia Clinical Psychiatric Hospital, Bucharest, Romania.
authors.forename: Anamaria
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vasilache
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden Nå Ut-teamet, Psychosis Clinic, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Margda
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Waern
authors.affiliation: Association for Mental Health Service Improvement, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Norman
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sartorius
authors.affiliation: Health Service and Population Research Department, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Graham
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Thornicroft
mesh_terms: D001317:Austria; D017523:Croatia; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D018153:Czech Republic; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D004192:Discrimination, Psychological; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D011044:Poland; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012383:Romania; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D057545:Social Stigma; D013548:Sweden; D014421:Turkey
keywords: Stigma; depression; discrimination; first episode; schizophrenia