Aim: This study aimed to determine the relationship between the level of insight in illness and internalized stigma among patients with depression and to identify the clinical factors associated with impaired insight.
Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among adult psychiatric outpatients with depressive disorders at a teaching hospital in Kuala Lumpur for 10 months. Sociodemographic and illness-related data were gathered. Two questionnaires, Mood Disorder Insight Scale (MDIS) and Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness Scale (ISMI), were administered.
Results: Ninety-nine respondents participated in the study (female: 63.6%; Malay: 41.4%; mean age: 46.4 years). The median duration of illness was 6.0 years. More respondents were taking combination therapy (59.6%). There was a statistically significant correlation between ISMI and MDIS scores (rs = 0.339, P = 0.001). On bivariate analyses, intact insight was associated with non-Malay race, combination therapy, higher average ISMI scores and subscores for alienation, stereotype endorsement, discrimination experience, and social withdrawal. Combination therapy, higher scores for alienation, and social withdrawal subscales were associated with a greater likelihood for intact insight in logistic regression model.
Conclusions: Significant association exists between insight and internalized stigma in patients with depression. Interventions to reduce the impact of internalized stigma while improving patients' insight are required.
METHODS: We reported a case of a young lady diagnosed with bipolar II disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder and borderline personality disorder who had recurrent visits to various emergency departments (ED) of tertiary hospitals in Malaysia for suicidality; each time presenting with increased mortality risk and escalating near-lethal outcomes. Among the multiple ED visits after her alleged overdoses of psychotropic medications, thrice she was near-unconscious and had to be intubated for airway protection, subsequently requiring ventilatory support and ICU care. These near-lethal presentations in ED were due to her delays in seeking treatment for fear of re-experiencing the stigmatizing environment among healthcare staff and professionals in the ED.
DISCUSSION: The impact of MHS is detrimental. Effective interventions at various levels in the clinical setting is of utmost importance to prevent the negative consequences of suicidality against MHS.
METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study carried out in a semi-urban primary healthcare centre located south of Kuala Lumpur. Systematic random sampling was carried out and a total of 267 subjects completed the PHQ during the study period.
RESULTS: The proportion of respondents who had at least one PHQ positive diagnosis was 24.7% and some respondents had more than one diagnosis. Diagnoses included depressive illness (n = 38, 14.4%), somatoform disorder (n = 32, 12.2%), panic and anxiety disorders (n = 17, 6.5%), binge eating disorder (n = 9, 3.4%) and alcohol abuse (n = 6, 2.3%). Younger age (18 to 29 years) and having a history of stressors in the previous four weeks were found to be significantly associated (p = 0.036 and p = 0.044 respectively) with PHQ positive scores.
CONCLUSION: These findings are broadly similar to the findings of studies done in other countries and are a useful guide to the probable prevalence of psychiatric morbidity in primary care in other similar settings in Malaysia.