title: Changes in attitudes towards mental disorders and psychiatric treatment 1976-2014 in a Swedish population.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Mental illness has always been subject to stigma and discrimination. There are a number of studies on public attitudes towards people with mental illness. Long-term studies, however, examining changes over time are scarce.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to examine potential changes concerning attitudes between 1976 and 2014 in Vilhelmina, a community in northern Sweden.
  
  
  METHODS
  A postal questionnaire was sent out to a random sample of 500 adults aged 18-70 years. The same questionnaire has previously been used in 1976 and 2003.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The attitudes towards people with mental illness have not generally become more positive over the years. In 2014 almost a quarter of the population still think that "people with mental illness commit violentX acts more than others". Even more people in 2014 than in 1976 agree to the statement that "mental illness harms the reputation more than a physical disease" (77.2% versus 52.8%). People with low educational level have more negative views than people with higher education. Younger respondents, < 20 years, had a more positive view than the older age groups. Almost 70% of the respondents would advise someone with psychological problems to seek a psychiatrist but only 23% of the respondents would follow their own advice. Psychotherapy has been and is still highly appreciated. As regards medication the perception is more critical, but there has been a significant change, however, to a more positive attitude towards medication since 1976.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Attitudes towards mental illness and mentally ill people have not changed substantially over time.
authors.affiliation: a Helia Faghir Mirnezami, Department of Clinical Sciences , Division of Psychiatry, Umeå University , Sweden.
authors.forename: Helia Faghir
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Mirnezami
authors.affiliation: b Lars Jacobsson, Department of Clinical Sciences , Division of Psychiatry, Umeå University , Sweden.
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jacobsson
authors.affiliation: c Anette Edin-Liljegren, Centre for Rural Medicine, the County Council of Västerbotten , Storuman , Sweden.
authors.forename: Anette
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Edin-Liljegren
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D028642:Persons with Psychiatric Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011613:Psychotherapy; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011639:Public Opinion; D057545:Social Stigma; D013548:Sweden; D014754:Violence / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D011619:Psychotropic Drugs
keywords: Attitudes; Mental disorders; Psychiatric treatment; Stigma; Sweden