The stigma of people with mental health problems and the role of health care professionals: An international scoping review

Introduction

The stigmatization of mental health problems is an important issue because it exposes those who suffer from it to social exclusion in the different dimensions of life in society. The objective of this literature review is therefore to identify the mechanisms and consequences of this stigma, the role of health professionals and existing interventions.

Method

A literature review was carried out on PubMed, Cinhal and Cairn databases using a scoping review method. The inclusion criteria for the articles were their relevance to the research question, their methodological validity and in English or French.

Results

A total of 19 articles were included. This literature review found that the whole patient-family-provider chain is affected by the stigmatization of mental health problems and its consequences. Various interventions to prevent and limit this stigmatization have also been identified, with the common element of involving users in a peersupport or patient-expert process.