Mental health stigma and its consequences: a systematic scoping review of pathways to discrimination and adverse outcomes

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F00023752%3A_____%2F25%3A43921637" target="_blank" >RIV/00023752:_____/25:43921637 - isvavai.cz</a>

Result on the web

<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589537025005218" target="_blank" >https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589537025005218</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.eclinm.2025.103588" target="_blank" >10.1016/j.eclinm.2025.103588</a>

Result language

angličtina

Original language name

Mental health stigma and its consequences: a systematic scoping review of pathways to discrimination and adverse outcomes

Original language description

Current research evaluating the consequences of stigma towards people with mental illness is not nuanced in emphasizing the critical distinction between stigma as negative attitudes and discrimination as harmful behaviours that limit access to services, employment, and social inclusion. Understanding these distinctions is essential for designing targeted, evidence-based universal, targeted and indicated interventions to improve the quality of life and well-being. This review evaluates the evidence on the consequences of stigma towards people with mental illness. Using PRISMA guidelines, we analysed 448 studies (294 quantitative, 154 qualitative) investigating stigma&apos;s negative outcomes. Findings were categorized into health, service use, psychosocial, economic, and structural impacts. Although stigma is consistently associated with adverse outcomes across life domains, evidence of a causal link between negative attitudes and poorer outcomes for individuals with mental disorders remains limited. Furthermore, there is a striking scarcity of research from low-and middle-income countries, with significant regional gaps, and studies addressing structural stigma embedded in societal institutions are particularly rare. Efforts to combat stigma must distinguish between attitudes and behaviours, focusing on reducing discrimination while enhancing public mental health literacy and access to effective interventions. Tackling these challenges requires a comprehensive, evidence-informed approach to improving mental health outcomes for all. Copyright (c) 2025 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

Czech name

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Czech description

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Type

J_imp - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database

CEP classification

—

OECD FORD branch

30218 - General and internal medicine

Project

<a href="/en/project/EH22_008%2F0004583" target="_blank" >EH22_008/0004583: Research of Excellence on Digital Technologies and Wellbeing</a><br>

Continuities

P - Projekt vyzkumu a vyvoje financovany z verejnych zdroju (s odkazem do CEP)

Publication year

2025

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Name of the periodical

eClinicalMedicine

ISSN

2589-5370

e-ISSN

2589-5370

Volume of the periodical

89

Issue of the periodical within the volume

103588

Country of publishing house

NL - THE KINGDOM OF THE NETHERLANDS

Number of pages

12

Pages from-to

1-12

UT code for WoS article

001614863500003

EID of the result in the Scopus database

2-s2.0-105020793942