PUBLIC-ATTITUDES TO THE QUALITY OF PSYCHIATRIC-TREATMENT, PSYCHIATRIC-PATIENTS, AND PREVALENCE OF MENTAL-DISORDERS

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.