Double stigma in mental health: epilepsy and mental illness.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Epilepsy and mental illness share similar problems in terms of stigma, as a result of centuries of superstition, ignorance and misbeliefs. Stigma leads not only to discrimination and civil and human rights violations but also to poor access to healthcare and non-adherence or decreased adherence to treatment, ultimately increasing morbidity and mortality. Despite continuous efforts in fighting stigma in these conditions, there is very limited knowledge on the phenomenon of double stigma, meaning the impact of having two stigmatised conditions at the same time.

Aims

To discuss double stigma in mental health with special reference to epilepsy.

Method

Articles were identified through searches in PubMed up to 31 October 2019 using the search terms 'epilepsy', 'p

SUBMITTER: Mula M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7443902 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature