Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #103067

Heidi L. Deep, MPH, School of Public Health, The Ohio State University, 6251 Cambridge Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45230, 513-624-0367, hdeep@cdc.gov and Randi L. Love, PhD, CHES, Ohio State University, M-120 Starling Loving Hall, 320 W 10th Ave, Columbus, OH 43210.

Approximately two-thirds of rural inhabitants with a diagnosable mental disorder do not receive treatment. Stigma associated with mental illnesses is a prominent barrier for those seeking mental health care services in rural communities. Rural communities are needed stigma reduction programs in order to break down barriers affecting access to mental health care services. Despite the disparities of rural populations regarding mental health care, there is a paucity of research on stigma reduction specific to rural areas. The purpose of this project is to develop a mental illness stigma reduction program for rural communities. The program is designed for the Crawford-Marion Alcohol, Drug and Mental Health (ADAMH) Board. The program's goal is to reduce stigma associated with mental illness among residents in Crawford and Marion counties. The program employs social marketing as the theoretical framework as well as a staged social cognitive approach to message design. The paper describes the process of developing a stigma reduction program for two rural counties located in Ohio and discusses implications for mental illness stigma reduction interventions in rural communities.

Learning Objectives:

• • Discuss the impact stigma associated mental illnesses has on rural communities.
  • Describe three mental illness stigma reduction strategies.
  • Identify three resources a health practitioner can use to facilitate the planning and implementation of a mental illness stigma reduction program geared for rural communities.
  • Identify four challenges in designing and implementing a mental illness stigma reduction program for rural communities.

Keywords: Rural Communities, Mental Illness

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.