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Perceptions of public attitudes towards persons with mental illness in Beijing, China: results from a representative survey

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Abstract

Objectives

Many studies have examined the general public’s attitudes towards people with mental illness, but such studies are scarce in China. This study examined the perceptions of the Beijing population regarding their society’s prevalent attitudes towards people with mental illness.

Methods

A total of 5000 individuals aged 18 or above living in Beijing were selected using a multistage, stratified, cluster and random sampling method. This was followed by a face-to-face interview which used a standardized questionnaire asking about societal attitudes towards individuals with mental illness.

Results

4602 out of 5000 eligible individuals met the inclusion criteria and participated in the interview. 4596 questionnaires were deemed valid and included in the analyses. A large proportion of respondents believed that most individuals within their society held negative attitudes and had a strong desire to distance themselves from people with mental illness. Respondents aged 60 or older, who lived farther to downtown Beijing, or with higher education tended to believe that most individuals have relatively positive and tolerant attitudes towards people with mental illness.

Conclusions

Many people in Beijing perceive that most members of their society have negative beliefs towards people with mental illness. Further efforts are needed to determine if these perceptions are accurate and to reduce the stigma that is reinforced by these perceptions.

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Acknowledgments

The author appreciates the mental health professionals and participants in this study.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Beijing Anding Hospital, Capital Medical University, No. 5 Ankang Lane, Dewai Avenue, Xicheng District, Beijing, 100088, China

    J. Liu, F. Yan, X. Ma, H. L. Guo, Y. L. Tang, X. M. Wu, X. Q. Li, H. Zhu, X. B. Guo, Y. Yang, P. Li, X. D. Cao, H. Y. Li, Z. B. Li, P. Wang & Q. Y. Xu

  2. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA

    Y. L. Tang & J. J. Rakofsky

Authors
  1. J. Liu
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  2. F. Yan
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  3. X. Ma
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  4. H. L. Guo
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  5. Y. L. Tang
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  6. J. J. Rakofsky
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  7. X. M. Wu
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  8. X. Q. Li
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  11. Y. Yang
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  15. Z. B. Li
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  17. Q. Y. Xu
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to X. Ma.

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Conflict of interest

The authors have no conflict of interest.

Source of funding

The study was part of a large-scale epidemiological survey of mental disorders in 2010 in Beijing, China. Furthermore, this epidemiological survey was part of the health reform project of the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Health and also associated with the “Beijing’s ten big chronic diseases and long-term science and technology development planning” which was funded by the Beijing Science and Technology Commission (Project number: D098050703650903).

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Liu, J., Yan, F., Ma, X. et al. Perceptions of public attitudes towards persons with mental illness in Beijing, China: results from a representative survey. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 51, 443–453 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-015-1125-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-015-1125-z

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