title: Differences in depression stigma towards ethnic and socio-economic groups in Germany - Exploring the hypothesis of double stigma.
abstract: Ethnic minorities and people with a low socio-economic status (SES) are often mentioned groups potentially affected by double stigma when faced with the burden of mental illness. Against this background we examine differences in public attitudes towards a) migrant vs. non-migrant persons with depression and b) low vs. high SES persons with depression.
  
  
  
  Analyses are based on data of a representative cross-sectional telephone survey among the adult population in Germany (N=2013). To compare the four groups, different depression vignettes were presented to the respondents. Three components of stigma were assessed in the survey: (1) characteristics ascribed to persons with a depression, (2) emotional reactions to people afflicted by depression, and (3) desire for social distance.
  
  
  
  Respondents less often felt annoyed when the person in the depression vignette was a migrant coming from Turkey. However, differences are not statistically significant in the vast majority of the analyzed items. In terms of the comparison between high and low SES persons, analyses reveal small and inconsistent differences in public depression stigma.
  
  
  
  The study focusses on two deprived groups (ethnic minorities and people with a low SES) and is restricted to Germany.
  
  
  
  Individuals with a low SES (compared to those with a high SES) and migrants (compared to non-migrants) with depression do not seem to be confronted with double public stigma in terms of stereotypes, emotional reactions, and desire for social distance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Sociology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistr. 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany. Electronic address: o.knesebeck@uke.de.
authors.forename: Olaf von dem
authors.initials: OVD
authors.lastname: Knesebeck
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Sociology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistr. 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kofahl
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Sociology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistr. 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Anna Christin
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Makowski
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000191:economics / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology*; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000523:psychology*; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008913:Minority Groups / Q000523:psychology*; D012929:Psychological Distance; D012923:Social Class; D057545:Social Stigma; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014421:Turkey / Q000208:ethnology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Depression stigma; Migrants; Multiple stigma; Socioeconomic status