P. Hamre et al., PUBLIC-ATTITUDES TO THE QUALITY OF PSYCHIATRIC-TREATMENT, PSYCHIATRIC-PATIENTS, AND PREVALENCE OF MENTAL-DISORDERS, Nordic journal of psychiatry, 48(4), 1994, pp. 275-281
Public opinion on mental disorders in Norway was investigated in Septe
mber 1992 by interviewing a stratified random sample of the population
(n=1063). The hypothesis was that psychiatric treatment and psychiatr
ic patients were met with prejudice and that public opinion on these q
uestions underestimated the prevalence of mental disorders. The study
showed that the quality of psychiatric treatment was considered very l
ow compared with the treatment of heart disease and cancer. One-third
of the respondents thought there was a great difference between person
s with mental disorders and ordinary people. Sixty per cent estimated
the prevalence of mental disorders to be between 10% and 50%. The conc
ern that at some time in life they might have a mental disorder was ex
pressed by 27% of the respondents. The consequences of negative attitu
des to psychiatric treatment and psychiatric patients are discussed, w
ith regard to both outcome of individual treatment and the manner in w
hich society gives priority to psychiatry.