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Hyun, Kim, Kang, and Nam: The Lived Experience of Stigma among Mentally Ill Persons
Original Article
Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing

Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing 2012; 42(2): 226-235.

Published online: 30 April 2012

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4040/jkan.2012.42.2.226

The Lived Experience of Stigma among Mentally Ill Persons

Myung Sun Hyun1, Young Hee Kim2, Hee Sun Kang3, Kyoung A Nam4

1Professor, College of Nursing, Ajou University, Suwon, Korea.

2Team Leader, EUM Hospital, Yongin, Korea.

3Associate Professor, Red Cross College of Nursing, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Korea.

4Associate Professor, Division of Nursing, Hallym University, Chuncheon, Korea.

Address reprint requests to: Nam, Kyoung A. Division of Nursing, Hallym University, 1 Hallymdaehak-gil, Chuncheon Gangwon-do, 200-702, The Republic of Korea. Tel: +82-33-248-2717, Fax: +82-33-248-2734, namka@hallym.ac.kr

Received 22 February 2011       Accepted 26 April 2012

© 2012 Korean Society of Nursing Science

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to explore the subjective experiences of stigma among mentally ill persons.

Methods

Phenomenological methodology was used for the study. Participants were twelve people with mental illness enrolled at the S community mental health center in GyeongGi-Do. Data were collected via in-depth interviews from August 30 to October 1, 2010 and analyzed using Colaizzi's framework.

Results

Four themes and sixteen formulated meanings were identified for the stigma experiences of participants with mental illness. The four themes were 'Incapable of struggling against unfair treatment', 'Living as an outsider', 'Being constrained by oneself', 'Being in suspense over disclosure of oneself'.

Conclusion

The results from this study underscore the need for an educational and awareness programs to reduce public stigma among the general population and self-stigma among people with mental illness. In addition, efforts are also needed to prioritize mental illness stigma as a major public health issue at the government and community level.

Keywords: Mentally ill person, Stigmatization, Life experiences, Qualitative research

Figures and Tables

Table 1
Formulated Meanings and Themes
jkan-42-226-i001

Notes

This research was supported by Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea(NRF) funded by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology(2010-0006812).

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