TY - JOUR
T1 - Changing Attitudes about Mental Health Stigma in Israel during the COVID-19 Period
T2 - A Potential Positive Effect of the Pandemic
AU - Shapiro, Ephraim
AU - Al-Krenawi, Alean
AU - Zukerman, Gil
AU - Melamed, Malka
AU - Dana Shtibi, Clara
AU - Korn, Liat
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© American Sociological Association 2024.
PY - 2024
Y1 - 2024
N2 - As well as affecting physical health, COVID-19 can impact mental health. While many studies have examined stigma related to having COVID-19, almost none have examined the larger issue of attitudes toward mental health and stigma since the pandemic began. This study examined public/external mental health stigma among Israelis after the COVID-19 outbreak, including whether there were changes to it. Surveys were administered to a sample of 1,099 Israelis aged 18–55 and multivariate analyses were performed. Israelis were found to have faced increased mental health risks since the COVID-19 outbreak and extensive mental health stigma was found among many of them. However, the stigma was reduced in later months as well as during lockdown periods. Variations in stigma were found by types of stigma and mental health illness, as well as by sociodemographic groups. COVID-19 can negatively impact mental health and appropriate mental healthcare utilization, although there may be positive effects as well. A crisis such as COVID-19 which began as a physical threat can cause society to reconsider how it views mental health, with important and potentially positive implications in the long term, and potential lessons learned for future crises. Interventions are needed, especially when appropriately tailored for vulnerable populations.
AB - As well as affecting physical health, COVID-19 can impact mental health. While many studies have examined stigma related to having COVID-19, almost none have examined the larger issue of attitudes toward mental health and stigma since the pandemic began. This study examined public/external mental health stigma among Israelis after the COVID-19 outbreak, including whether there were changes to it. Surveys were administered to a sample of 1,099 Israelis aged 18–55 and multivariate analyses were performed. Israelis were found to have faced increased mental health risks since the COVID-19 outbreak and extensive mental health stigma was found among many of them. However, the stigma was reduced in later months as well as during lockdown periods. Variations in stigma were found by types of stigma and mental health illness, as well as by sociodemographic groups. COVID-19 can negatively impact mental health and appropriate mental healthcare utilization, although there may be positive effects as well. A crisis such as COVID-19 which began as a physical threat can cause society to reconsider how it views mental health, with important and potentially positive implications in the long term, and potential lessons learned for future crises. Interventions are needed, especially when appropriately tailored for vulnerable populations.
KW - COVID-19
KW - Israel
KW - mental health
KW - mental health literacy
KW - stigma
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85205341686&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/21568693241276535
DO - 10.1177/21568693241276535
M3 - ???researchoutput.researchoutputtypes.contributiontojournal.article???
AN - SCOPUS:85205341686
SN - 2156-8693
JO - Society and Mental Health
JF - Society and Mental Health
ER -