title: The prevalence and predictors of self-stigma of individuals with mental health illness in two Chinese cities.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although self-stigma is found to have adverse effects on the lives of persons with mental illness, little is known on the self-stigma of these individuals in Chinese societies.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This research study explores the prevalence rate and predicting factors of self-stigma of consumers in two Chinese cities, Hong Kong and Guangzhou.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional research design is adopted which involves a random sample of 266 consumers from Hong Kong and a convenient sample of 208 consumers from Guangzhou. These individuals have been assessed in terms of their self-stigma, recovery, self-esteem and quality of life by using standardized assessment scales.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In all, 38.3% of the Hong Kong participants and 49.5% of the Guangzhou participants report to have self-stigma. Also, self-stigma is found to be negatively related to self-esteem and quality of life. A logistic regression analysis shows that hope and well-being are predicting factors of self-stigma.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Self-stigma is found to be higher in Guangzhou, probably due to the influence of traditional cultural values. Also, as hope and well-being are found to be predicting factors of self-stigma, suitable recovery-orientated interventions that facilitate hope and well-being should be developed so as to reduce self-stigma of consumers in Chinese societies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Social Work, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong danielyoung@hkbu.edu.hk.
authors.forename: Daniel Kim-Wan
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Young
authors.affiliation: Department of Social Work, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Petrus Yat-Nam
authors.initials: PY
authors.lastname: Ng
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D044466:Asian People; D002947:Cities; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D015995:Prevalence; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011788:Quality of Life; D012649:Self Concept; D057545:Social Stigma; D013240:Stereotyping; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Chinese culture; Self-stigma; mental illness; recovery