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Psychiatric services in the community? The German public's opinion in 1990 and 2011

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 December 2012

M. C. Angermeyer ,
H. Matschinger ,
A. Holzinger ,
M. G. Carta  and
G. Schomerus
M. C. Angermeyer*
Affiliation:
Center for Public Mental Health, Gösing am Wagram, Austria Department of Public Health, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
H. Matschinger
Affiliation:
Institute of Social Medicine, Occupational Health and Public Health, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany Institute of Medical Sociology and Health Economics, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
A. Holzinger
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria
M. G. Carta
Affiliation:
Department of Public Health, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
G. Schomerus
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Greifswald, Germany HELIOS Hanseklinikum, Stralsund, Germany
*
*Address for correspondence: Professor Matthias C. Angermeyer, Center for Public Mental Health, Untere Zeile 13, A-3482 Gösing am Wagram, Austria. (Email: [email protected])
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Abstract

Background.

During the last two decades, the change from custodial care provided by large institutions to community-focused services made considerable progress in Germany. However, nothing is known about how this is reflected in the public's acceptance of community psychiatry services.

Methods.

The study is based on data from two population surveys among German citizens aged 18 years and over, living in the ‘old’ German States. The first was conducted in 1990 (n = 3067), the second in 2011 (n = 2416). With the help of identical questions, respondents’ attitudes towards psychiatric units at general hospitals and group homes for mentally ill people were assessed.

Results.

While the proportion of the public that explicitly welcomed establishing psychiatric units at general hospitals and opening group homes for mentally ill people decreased, the proportion of those who reacted with indifference increased. The proportion of the German population that explicitly rejected the implementation of these services remained unchanged.

Conclusions.

While community psychiatry services expanded considerably over the last few years, the public's attitude towards them has not changed substantially.

Keywords

Attitudespopulation surveypsychiatric services
Type
Original Articles
Information
Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences , Volume 22 , Issue 4 , December 2013 , pp. 339 - 344
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2012 

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