Self-stigma of Schizophrenia Patients with Work Experiences and Reasons Not to Disclose Their Illness
Hatsumi Yoshii *
Tohoku University Graduate, School of Medicine, Japan.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Questionnaires were distributed to 49 stable schizophrenia patients with work experience who were either hospitalized in an open ward of a psychiatric hospital or were outpatients of the hospital to gain understanding of schizophrenia patients’ experiences at work, reasons for not disclosing their illness, and self-stigma. The questionnaire used in the present study consisted of 3 sections. Section 1 collected demographic information. Section 2 assessed the social distance of schizophrenia. Section 3 examined the reasons for not disclosing mental illness. The Kruskal–Wallis test and Mann–Whitney U test were used to examine associations between Social Distance Scale Japanese version (SDSJ) score and demographic characteristics. I categorized the qualitative data on reasons for non-disclosure and analyzed these categories. Work experience as a full-time employee was associated with total SDSJ score (p < 0.05). The four reasons not to disclose illness to the employer at the time of employment were: avoiding non-employment, avoiding worse treatment, feeling no need to disclose, and feeling unable confess. The three reasons for not disclosing illness to the employer once employed the job were: anxiety about stigma, anxiety about dismissal, and feeling no need to disclose. Measures for reducing self-stigma should focus on people with schizophrenia who currently work full-time. At the same time, it is necessary to establish measures based on evidence. Such measures should also include support for illness disclosure.
Keywords: Schizophrenia, work, self-stigma, illness disclosure.