%0 Journal Article %1 schomerus2015collective %A Schomerus, G. %A Evans-Lacko, S. %A Rüsch, N. %A Mojtabai, R. %A Angermeyer, M. C. %A Thornicroft, G. %D 2015 %I Cambridge University Press %J Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences %K 2015 EB_input2015 Eurobarometer FDZ_IUP SCIEindexed SCOPUSindexed SSCIindexed article checked english indexproved input2015 review_proved reviewed %N 2 %P 166–171 %R 10.1017/S2045796014000109 %T Collective levels of stigma and national suicide rates in 25 European countries %U https://www.cambridge.org/core/article/collective-levels-of-stigma-and-national-suicide-rates-in-25-european-countries/23D3BE955D5BE6FEB7BBD313E87321A6 %V 24 %X Aims: There is substantial diversity in national suicide rates, which has mainly been related to socio-economic factors, as well as cultural factors. Stigma is a cultural phenomenon, determining the level of social acceptance or rejection of persons with mental illness in a society. In this study, we explore whether national suicide rates are related to the degree of mental illness stigma in that country. Method: We combine the data on country-level social acceptance (Eurobarometer) with the data on suicide rates and socio-economic indicators (Eurostat) for 25 European countries. Results: In a linear regression model controlling for socio-economic indicators, the social acceptance of someone with a significant mental health problem in 2010 was negatively correlated with age standardised national suicide rates in the same year (β −0.46, p = 0.014). This association also held true when combining national suicide rates with death rates due to events of undetermined intent. Conclusions: Stigma towards persons with mental health problems may contribute to differences in suicide rates in a country. We hypothesise possible mechanisms explaining this link, including stigma as a stressor and social isolation as a consequence of stigma.

@article{schomerus2015collective, abstract = {Aims: There is substantial diversity in national suicide rates, which has mainly been related to socio-economic factors, as well as cultural factors. Stigma is a cultural phenomenon, determining the level of social acceptance or rejection of persons with mental illness in a society. In this study, we explore whether national suicide rates are related to the degree of mental illness stigma in that country. Method: We combine the data on country-level social acceptance (Eurobarometer) with the data on suicide rates and socio-economic indicators (Eurostat) for 25 European countries. Results: In a linear regression model controlling for socio-economic indicators, the social acceptance of someone with a significant mental health problem in 2010 was negatively correlated with age standardised national suicide rates in the same year (β −0.46, p = 0.014). This association also held true when combining national suicide rates with death rates due to events of undetermined intent. Conclusions: Stigma towards persons with mental health problems may contribute to differences in suicide rates in a country. We hypothesise possible mechanisms explaining this link, including stigma as a stressor and social isolation as a consequence of stigma.}, added-at = {2019-03-20T18:49:19.000+0100}, author = {Schomerus, G. and Evans-Lacko, S. and Rüsch, N. and Mojtabai, R. and Angermeyer, M. C. and Thornicroft, G.}, biburl = {https://www.bibsonomy.org/bibtex/203c726c65bcdf6e85ea10e4ef3cea029/gesis_dump}, doi = {10.1017/S2045796014000109}, interhash = {69eb0f3bab5a00067d66bf07f497be55}, intrahash = {03c726c65bcdf6e85ea10e4ef3cea029}, journal = {Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences}, keywords = {2015 EB_input2015 Eurobarometer FDZ_IUP SCIEindexed SCOPUSindexed SSCIindexed article checked english indexproved input2015 review_proved reviewed}, note = {First published online: February 27, 2014, http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S2045796014000109. (Eurobarometer)}, number = 2, pages = {166–171}, place = {Cambridge, UK}, publisher = {Cambridge University Press}, tagadata-svko-dda-test = {11175}, tagadata-svkoddatest2 = {11168}, timestamp = {2019-10-01T13:01:56.000+0200}, title = {Collective levels of stigma and national suicide rates in 25 European countries}, url = {https://www.cambridge.org/core/article/collective-levels-of-stigma-and-national-suicide-rates-in-25-european-countries/23D3BE955D5BE6FEB7BBD313E87321A6}, volume = 24, year = 2015 }