Perceptions of stigma and its correlates among patients with major depressive disorder: A multicenter survey from China.
BACKGROUND
The stigma of major depressive disorder (MDD) is an important public health problem. This study evaluated stigma in MDD patients in China using explanatory model interview catalogue (EMIC) questionnaire and the demographic and clinical symptom factors associated with the stigma of these patients.


METHODS
A total of 158 MDD patients from domestic 3 mental health centers were surveyed. We used the EMIC questionnaire to assess stigma of these patients, Montgomery and Asberg depression rating scale (MADRS) to assess depressive severity, self-reporting inventory (SCL-90) to assess mental health level, Sheehan disability scale (SDS) to assess social function, and fatigue severity scale (FSS) to assess degree of fatigue.


RESULTS
The stigma scores were significantly higher in the 18- to 30-year-old (z = 2.875, P = .024) and 31- to 40-year-old (z = 3.204, P = .008) groups than the 51- to 65-year-old group; in the full-time employment group than the retired group (z = 3.163, P = .016). The stigma scores exhibited significant negative correlation with age (r = -0.169, P = .034) but positive correlations with the scores of MADRS (r = .212, P = .007), total scores (r = .273, P = .001) and subscales of interpersonal sensitivity (r = .233, P = .003), depression (r = .336, P < .001), and anxiety (r = .228, P = .004) of SCL-90, scores of FSS (r = .230, P = .004), and SDS (r = .254, P = .001). Multivariate regression analysis revealed that depression subscale of SCL-90 and FSS were independently correlated with stigma.


CONCLUSIONS
The age, employment status, fatigue, and depressive severity are closely associated with the perceived stigma of MDD patients and may be important factors considered for stigma interventions of MDD in China.
Psychiatric department, Shanxi Mental Health Center (Taiyuan Psychiatric Hospital), Taiyuan, China.
Feng
F
Shi-Jie
Psychiatric department, Shanxi Mental Health Center (Taiyuan Psychiatric Hospital), Taiyuan, China.
Gao
G
Hong-Mei
Peking University the Sixth Hospital (Institute of Mental Health), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Health Disorders & Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Ministry of Health (Peking University), Beijing, China.
Wang
W
Li
Psychiatric department, Shanxi Mental Health Center (Taiyuan Psychiatric Hospital), Taiyuan, China.
Wang
W
Bin-Hong
Division of Mood Disorders, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
Fang
F
Yi-Ru
Mood Disorders Center, Beijing Anding Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
Wang
W
Gang
Peking University the Sixth Hospital (Institute of Mental Health), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Health Disorders & Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Ministry of Health (Peking University), Beijing, China.
Si
S
Tian-Mei
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002681:China / Q000208:ethnology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000208:ethnology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D004651:Employment / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D057545:Social Stigma; D055815:Young Adult
EMIC; major depressive disorder; stigma