BACKGROUND: Internalized stigma negatively affects lives and prognosis of individuals with psychosis. AIM: This study aimed to identify correlates of internalized stigma among individuals with psychosis in a sample of community care users in the Czech Republic. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 133 community service users with psychosis. A shortened version of the Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness (ISMI-10) scale was used alongside the 5-level EQ-5D version (EQ-5D-5L), assessing health-related quality of life. Descriptive and linear regression analyses were performed in order to determine levels of internalized stigma and its correlates. RESULTS: High levels of internalized stigma were reported in 25% of participants. Lower internalized stigma levels were associated with better self-reported health status and being married, and higher internalized stigma with a longer period of time since initial contact with psychiatric care. CONCLUSION: Lower internalized stigma levels are associated with better self-reported health-related quality of life. In addition, clients having used psychiatric care for longer periods of time reported significantly higher internalized stigma levels. Therefore, authors suggest self-stigma reduction interventions based in a community setting with an emphasis on targeting clients with chronic psychosis.

Faculty of Social Sciences Charles University Prague Czech Republic

Institute of Psychiatry Psychology and Neuroscience King's College London London UK

National Institute of Mental Health Klecany Czech Republic

References provided by Crossref.org

Development of public stigma toward people with mental health problems in Czechia 2013-2019