Yes / Objectives: General practitioners (GPs) are crucial to improving timely diagnosis, but little is reported about how they perceive dementia, and whether their perceptions display any elements of stigma. The aim of this study was to explore how GPs’ perceptions of dementia map onto current conceptualizations of stigma and whether GPs feel that stigma affects timely diagnosis. Methods: Twenty-three GPs from England were interviewed by telephone. Data were analyzed by means of content analysis. This involved open coding followed by the application of a coding framework derived from the literature to explore how and to what extent their perceptions relate to stigma as well as the unique nature of their perceptions. Results: Three themes emerged from the analysis: (1) ‘making sense of dementia’, (2) ‘relating perceptions of dementia to oneself’ and (3) ‘considering the consequences of dementia’. GPs’ perceptions of dementia mapped onto current conceptualizations of stigma. Perceptions about dementia that were linked to their own existential anxiety and to a perceived similarity between people with dementia and themselves were particularly salient. GPs perceived dementia as a stigma which was gradually being overcome but that stigma still hindered timely diagnosis. They provided examples of structural discrimination within the health service, including lack of time for patients and shortcomings in training that were to the detriment of people with dementia. Conclusion: Measures to involve GPs in tackling stigma should include training and opportunities to explore how they perceive dementia, as well as support to address structural discrimination. / The study was funded by Alzheimer Europe (Luxembourg) in the form of tuition fees for Dianne Gove for her PhD study.

Yes / A qualitative exploration of the stigma of dementia reported that GPs described lack of reciprocity as one way in which people with dementia are perceived within society. This was closely linked to their perception of dementia as a stigma. In this paper, we explore whether GPs perceive people with dementia as lacking reciprocity and, so, if this is linked with societal opinions about dementia as a stigma. The implications of both perceptions of people with dementia failing to reciprocate and of stigma for timely diagnosis are explored. GPs’ perceptions of societal views of people with dementia included a perception of a lack of reciprocity. Specifically, an absence of reciprocity was linked with; failing to respond to human contact, the absence of an appropriate return on social investment and failing to contribute to, or being a burden to, society. GPs reported a link between societal perceptions of lack of reciprocity and stereotypes about advanced dementia, difficulties communicating with people with dementia and lack of opportunities for people with dementia to reciprocate. GPs occupy a key position, they can challenge stereotypes and, with support and targeted training about communicating with people living with dementia, can emphasise the ways in which people with dementia can communicate, thereby enhancing their potential to reciprocate. Such changes have implications for improved care and quality of life through the continued maintenance of social inclusion and perceptions of personhood. / none

Yes / This paper describes a study which explored the knowledge and attitudes of university students towards people living with dementia, and developed and tested a dementia awareness workshop, Dementia Detectives: University edition, designed to improve knowledge and foster positive attitudes to dementia in students. Design/methodology/approach: Dementia Detectives: University edition was launched during Dementia Awareness Week and five workshops were delivered to university students. Forty-two participants attended and completed a knowledge and attitude measure before and after the workshop, as well as rating the workshop with regards to satisfaction, relevance, understanding and whether they would recommend the workshop to friends. Findings: Students perceived living with dementia to be a negative and stigmatised experience. The workshop scored highly in terms of satisfaction, relevance and understanding and all students stated they would recommend the workshop to others. Paired t-tests found significant improvements in self-assessed dementia knowledge. Research Limitations: This was a pilot evaluation and further testing with larger samples is required. Practical implications: The workshop meets the requirements for tier 1 dementia education and training as outlined in the Dementia Core Skills and Knowledge Framework published by the Department of Health. Social implications: The workshop has the potential to increase knowledge, change attitudes, improve empathy and contribute to the development of a dementia aware workforce through undergraduate education. Originality/value: Dementia Detectives: University edition is a novel interactive method of dementia education and training.

This thesis examines whether residing in a mobile home predicts higher rates of psychological distress. Using combined data from the General Social Survey (1994-2006), I differentiate housing into four distinct categories: mobile homes, conventional homes, apartments, and townhouses. After looking extensively at the history and experience of residing in a mobile home, particularly when viewed through a social stress theory lens, I hypothesize that mobile home residents should have higher levels of psychological distress after socioeconomic variables are controlled. While mobile home residents have the highest raw scores for psychological distress (a composite of depression and anxiety), these did not hold significance after the inclusion of the socioeconomic and control variables. Conversely, social network ties were stronger in the mobile home community than in other types of housing and this remained so after socioeconomic variables were included. This thesis supports Shelton, et al.'s (1983) findings that mobile home residents are in many ways more similar to their conventional home counterparts than those living in apartments. It also supports social stress theory's assertion that social support is associated with better mental health and that socioeconomic factors are paramount when predicting levels of psychological distress. / Master of Science

Background: Although it has become more accepted to discuss mental health issues in society negative attitudes persist. This lack of understanding, prejudice, and discriminatory attitudes towards individuals with mental illness result in stereotypes that give rise to stigmatisation. Purpose: The purpose of the paper is to compile previous research to investigate the contexts in which stigmatisation occurs against individuals with mental illness and explore its consequences. Furthermore, it aims to examine measures used to prevent stigmatisation. Method: This paper is a literature review following Arksey & O`Malley`s model for conducting a scoping study. Results: Stigmatisation remains a widespread problem for individuals with mental illness. The most common context where stigmatisation and discrimination occur are out in society by the general public, in workplaces and within healthcare settings. The most severe consequence is self-stigma when individuals internalise the negative attitudes prevalent in society and believe in them. The most successful measure to reducing stigma is contact based interventions. However, there is a lack of evidence on the long-term effectiveness of this method. Conclusion: Stigmatisation against individuals with mental illness continues to be a significant ongoing problem in society despite increased awareness and openness to the subject. The greatest obstacle is the lack of understanding and knowledge about mental illness.

Bakgrund: Den psykiska ohälsan har ökat bland personer som söker sjukvård. Personer med psykisk ohälsa känner sig diskriminerade och stigmatiserade i mötet med vården. De upplever att de inte blir behandlade med samma respekt som personer utan psykisk ohälsa. Personer med psykisk ohälsa har ökad sjuklighet och dödlighet jämfört med övrig befolkning och de upplever att de inte får tillräcklig information. Syfte: Syftet var att beskriva sjuksköterskans upplevelser av att vårda personer med psykisk ohälsa. Metod: Studien genomfördes som en litteraturöversikt för att få kunskap om forskningen inom detta specifika område. Elva vetenskapliga artiklar valdes ut där fem var av kvalitativ design, fyra av kvantitativ design och två var av mixad design. Resultat: Utifrån analysen identifierades fyra teman. Tema ett var kunskapsbrist där det visade sig att det fanns en kunskapsbrist som ledde till osäkerhet och rädsla inför vårdandet av patienter med psykisk ohälsa. Det andra temat påfrestande arbete innehöll upplevelser av maktlöshet, hopplöshet och situationer som skapade oro och ångest. I temat negativa känslor för patienten uttrycktes att dessa personer upplevdes som aggressiva, en fara för sig själva och en fara för andra. Sista temat organisatoriska hinder innehöll bristen av stöd från personal och ledning och att flertalet sjuksköterskor kände att det inte var deras ansvar att vårda patienter med psykisk ohälsa. Diskussion: Resultatet visar på kunskapsbrist för allmänsjuksköterskor som vårdar personer med psykisk ohälsa. Detta diskuteras utifrån bakgrunden, konsensusbegreppet vårdande och begreppet livsvärld. Sjuksköterskornas förförståelse och utbildning diskuteras i förhållande till författarnas tankar och den teoretiska referensramen. / Background: Mental illness is increasing among people seeking care. People with mental illness feel discriminated against and stigmatized in nursing care. They feel they are not being treated with the same respect as people without mental illness. People with mental illness have an increased morbidity and mortality compared with the rest of the population and they feel they do not receive sufficient information. Aim: The aim of this study was to describe nurses' experiences of caring for people with mental illness. Method: The present study was conducted as a literature review to gain knowledge about the research in this specific field. Eleven articles were selected, five of which are based on a qualitative design, four on a quantitative design and two were of mixed designs. Results: Based on the analysis the authors identified four themes. Theme one is knowledge which showed that there was a lack of knowledge that led to uncertainty and fear when caring for patients with mental illness. The second theme strenuous work contained the experiences of powerlessness, hopelessness and situations that created anxiety. Under the theme negative feelings towards the patient it was expressed that people with mental illness are experienced as aggressive, a danger to himself and a danger to others. The last theme organizational barriers included a lack of support from the staff and management and that most nurses felt it was not their responsibility to care for patients with mental illness. Discussion: The results show a lack of knowledge for general nurses who care for people with mental illness. This is discussed on the basis of the background, the consensus concept of caring and the concept of life-world. Nurses' pre-understandings and education are discussed in relation to the authors' thoughts and the theoretical framework.

<p>Uppsatsen har till syfte att titta på hur verksamma inom stödorganisationer ser på sina klienter, samt vad de har för attityder till prostitution. Genom en diskursanalys lyfts diskursen om prostitution utifrån det nederländska och svenska samhället fram. Frågeställningar i uppsatsen är: Vilket syfte har organisationerna i arbetet med prostitution? Vilken syn på prostitution har de anställda på stödorganisationerna? Vad har organisationerna att erbjuda och hur arbetar de? Går det att finna skillnader eller likheter mellan synen på prostitution i de olika länderna? Uppsatsen har en beskrivande och tolkande design med ett kvalitativt diskursanalytiskt förhållningssätt. Frågeställningar rörande de anställdas värdegrund och förhållningssätt till sina klienter utgjorde grunden i uppsatsen. Intervjuer med sammanlagt tolv personer utfördes, sex stycken i Sverige och sex stycken i Nederländerna varav samtliga arbetar inom stödorganisationer för prostituerade. Textmaterial från organisationerna samlades även in vid intervjuerna. De två ländernas intervjuer och textmaterial bearbetades separat och jämfördes sedan. Resultatet visade på en rad olika subjektpositioner som karaktäriserar diskursen om prostitution. Den svenska diskursen präglas av radikalfeministiska värderingar, och den nederländska diskursen av liberalfeministiska värderingar. Mikroperspektivet, eller individperspektivet finns hos den svenska diskursen om prostitution, då det fokuseras mycket på den prostituerade individen. I det nederländska samhället ligger fokuset på makro eller samhällsnivå, där prostitutionsfrågan är en samhällsfråga och har mindre att göra med individen som prostituerar sig.</p> / <p>The<strong> </strong>aim of the essay<strong> </strong>is to look at how support organizations are working and dealing with prostitution clients and the attitude the employees of these organizations have toward their clients. Discourse analysis is used in the interpretation of the data collected.</p><p>The questions of the study were: What is the purpose of the organizations, which work with prostitution? What are the views of the employees of these organizations towards prostitution? What do the organizations have to offer their clients? Are there differences or similarities in the Swedish and Dutch discourse on prostitution?</p><p>Interviews with a total of twelve respondents were performed, six in Sweden and six in the. Text material from the organizations was also collected and used in the study.</p><p>The interview results and the text material collected from the two countries were analyzed separately and then compared. The result showed<strong> </strong>different<strong> </strong>subject positions. The Swedish discourse showed influences from radical feministic values, and the Dutch discourse from liberal feministic values. A micro- or individual understanding of the question is reflected in the Swedish discourse of prostitution. In the Dutch material, the focus is on the macro- or the society understanding, where prostitution is a question of society and has less to do with the prostitutes as individuals.</p>

The main focus of this study is to explore Swedish soldiers’ experiences of the transition back to everyday life after international service missions. This includes the help and support that they have received and also what barriers to care they have experienced during the transition back to everyday life. The theoretical perspectives of this study are social identity and stigma theory. This study was performed using a qualitative method and includes six individual interviews with active duty officers within the Swedish armed forces. All of them have participated in international service missions. The results of this study show that the soldiers experience barriers to care during the transition back to everyday life in Sweden. What emerged is that they are experiencing mental depression and a need for a recovery period. It’s also revealed that the stigma surrounding mental illness in the military and in society precludes a good reintegration into everyday life. The study concludes that more research is needed on what support soldiers need when they return home, and that the responsibility for veterans support efforts need to be clearer between all responsible parties in Swedish society.

Förekomsten av diskriminering av romer har påvisats i tidigare studier och rapporter från Diskrimineringsombudsmannen. Syftet med denna studie är att beskriva och förstå romers upplevelse av diskriminering. Frågeställningarna som lyfts är om romer upplever sig vara diskriminerade och på vilket sätt, hur man möter de fördomar man som grupp utsätts för och vad anser de kan identifieras som orsaken till diskrimineringen. Den empiriska delen av studien har genomförts utifrån kvalitativ metod, genom att intervjuer med romska respondenter. De teoretiska utgångspunkterna är baserade på perspektiv gällande diskriminering, stigma och utanförskap med syfte att beskriva de samhälleliga strukturer som påverkar fördomar och diskriminering. Studien visar på att romerna i undersökningen upplever sig vara diskriminerade inom flera livsområden, och de beskriver detta som en del i deras vardag. Orsakerna bottnar i, som de ser, att de fördomar samhället haft i historien lever kvar. De påvisar också att detta orsakat en känsla av att man som individ tillhörande den romska gruppen har ett lägre värde i jämförelse med majoritetssamhället. För att bryta dessa fördomar ser respondenterna att det behövs arbete från två håll, både från majoritetssamhället och romerna där begrepp som trygghet och information är väsentliga. / The existence of discrimination against the Roma has been demonstrated in previous studies and inreports from Diskrimineringsombudsmannen. The purpose of this study is to describe and understand Romaexperience of discrimination. The issues raised are if Roma perceive them to be discriminated and in what way, how they face the prejudices they as a group are exposed to and what they consider to be identified as the cause of discrimination. The empirical part of the study has been carried out using qualitative methodology, through interviews with Roma respondents. The theoretical approach is based on perspective regarding discrimination, stigma and exclusion in order to describe the social structures thatinfluence prejudice and discrimination. The study shows that the Roma in the survey feel they are discriminated in many areas of life, and they describe it as part of their everyday life. The reasons stem from, as they see, that historical prejudice in society remains. They demonstrate also that this causes a feeling that they as individuals belonging to the Roma community have a lower value in comparison with the majority society. To break these prejudices respondents see the need to work on two fronts, both from the majority society and the Roma, where concepts such as feeling of security and information are essential.

Grief following a parent’s suicide has been called ‘the silent grief’: due to a prevailing stigma connected to suicide as a mode of death, the parent cannot be talked about. This silenced or distorted communication complicates grieving youths’ meaning reconstruction centred on the question of why the parent committed suicide – a question inevitably linked to queries of who the deceased parent was, and that ultimately triggers thoughts about who oneself has become in the light of this experience. Previous research has emphasized how vulnerable parentally suicidebereaved youths are by categorizing them as ‘at risk group’ of social and psychological problems and even suicide. However, there is scant knowledge about how these young mourners perceive and manage their own grief and need for social support – knowledge that is essential from a professional perspective. The aim of this thesis is to use a narrative research approach to investigate what and how young mourners tell of their experiences in a variety of social contexts: research interviews, a theatre play and two chat contexts on the Internet. Since they actively seek to achieve something through their communication with others, mourning youths are seen as storytellers and social actors, rather than passive victims of circumstance. This thesis shows how these young mourners search for a context outside of their immediate daily networks where they can normalize and liberate themselves and their deceased parent from stigmatizing discourses. The possibility of narrating experiences in a destigmatizing context supports a renegotiation of how to make sense of the suicide – from a voluntary and selfish act, to an involuntary and desperate act caused by adverse life situations or ‘unbearable pain’ and depression. This knowledge is applicable to encounters with parentally suicide-bereaved youths in a professional context, such as social work practice. / Sorgen efter en förälders självmord har kallats ”den tysta sorgen”: eftersom självmord alltjämt är en stigmatiserande dödsorsak är det svårt att prata om den döde föräldern. Sådan tystad eller förvrängd kommunikation försvårar unga sörjandes meningsskapande utifrån frågan varför föräldern tog sitt liv – en fråga ofrånkomligen sammankopplad med funderingar om vem den döde föräldern var, vilket ytterst också väcker tankar om vem man själv har blivit i ljuset av denna erfarenhet. Tidigare forskning har betonat självmordsdrabbade barns sårbarhet genom att kategorisera dem som en ”riskgrupp” för sociala och psykologiska problem och till och med självmord. Emellertid är kunskapen knapp om hur dessa sörjande unga själva uppfattar och hanterar sin sorg och sina stödbehov – en angelägen kunskap ur ett professionellt perspektiv. Syftet med denna avhandling är att genom en narrativ forskningsansats undersöka vad och hur unga sörjande berättar om sina erfarenheter i några olika sociala kontexter: i forskningsintervjuer, en teaterföreställning och två olika chattsammanhang på Internet. Eftersom dessa sörjande unga aktivt försöker åstadkomma något genom sin kommunikation med andra förstås de som berättare och sociala aktörer, snarare än passiva offer för omständigheter. Avhandlingen visar hur unga självmordssörjande söker en plats utanför sina vardagliga relationer, där de kan normalisera och frigöra sig själva och den döde föräldern i relation till stigmatiserande diskurser. Möjligheten att berätta om sina erfarenheter i en icke stigmatiserande kontext kan stödja en omförhandling av självmordet – från en frivillig och självisk handling till en ofrivillig och desperat handling orsakad av en svår livssituation och ”outhärdlig smärta” eller depression. Denna kunskap är tillämpbar i mötet med unga självmordssörjande i en professionell kontext, så som det sociala arbetets praktik. / <p>In the printed version note 1 on page 15 was incomplete with most of the text missing. In the electronic version note 1 is complete.</p>