Presentation Information
[SY-39-02]Stigma in Mental Health Care in Japan
*Junko Kitaoka1,8, Marie Kitano2,3, Muhammad Hanif Abd Latif4, Nur Iwana Abdul Taib5, Ryo Mizui6,8, Tsuyoshi Ono7,8 (1.Tarumi Hospital(Japan), 2.Department of Psychiatry, Monash Health(Australia), 3.The University of Melbourne(Australia), 4.Psychiatry Department, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (Malaysia), 5.Department of Psychological Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak(Malaysia), 6.Miyagawa Medical Juvenile Training School(Japan), 7.Medical Juveniles Correction and Education Center in East Japan(Japan), 8.Japan Young Psychiatrists Organization(Japan))
Keywords:
Stigma,Mental Health,Culture
Stigma toward mental illness remains a major issue in Japan.Japanese cultural values such as perseverance, social harmony, and the importance of saving face may discourage individuals with mental health challenges from seeking professional help, potentially leading to internalized stigma.
In this presentation, we report findings from a preliminary survey titled “Research on How Cultural Aspects Influence Psychiatrists’ Stigma Toward Mental Illness.”
We focus on responses from Japanese psychiatrists and examine the current state of stigma in mental health care, the influence of cultural and familial values on help-seeking behavior, and how stigma among healthcare professionals may affect the quality of care and clinical outcomes.
We also explore what Japanese psychiatrists consider to be effective stigma-reduction strategies and review existing initiatives. In addition, we identify cultural and institutional barriers that may hinder the implementation or success of these efforts.
Based on these findings, we discuss the importance of developing culturally grounded and sustainable approaches to stigma reduction in the Japanese context.
Finally, we place Japan’s challenges within a broader international framework, aiming to highlight shared global issues and promote cross-cultural collaboration and mutual learning to improve mental health care and reduce stigma worldwide.
In this presentation, we report findings from a preliminary survey titled “Research on How Cultural Aspects Influence Psychiatrists’ Stigma Toward Mental Illness.”
We focus on responses from Japanese psychiatrists and examine the current state of stigma in mental health care, the influence of cultural and familial values on help-seeking behavior, and how stigma among healthcare professionals may affect the quality of care and clinical outcomes.
We also explore what Japanese psychiatrists consider to be effective stigma-reduction strategies and review existing initiatives. In addition, we identify cultural and institutional barriers that may hinder the implementation or success of these efforts.
Based on these findings, we discuss the importance of developing culturally grounded and sustainable approaches to stigma reduction in the Japanese context.
Finally, we place Japan’s challenges within a broader international framework, aiming to highlight shared global issues and promote cross-cultural collaboration and mutual learning to improve mental health care and reduce stigma worldwide.