Exploring stigma, discrimination and recovery-based perspectives toward mental illness and substance use problems among primary healthcare providers in Ribeirão Preto, Brazil: a randomized controlled trial

• Grant number: 17/50111-4
• Support type: Research Grants - Research in Public Policies
• Duration: June 01, 2018 - May 31, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Nursing - Psychiatric Nursing
• Cooperation agreement: Global Alliance for Chronic Diseases (GACD)
• Principal Investigator: Carla Aparecida Arena Ventura
• Grantee: Carla Aparecida Arena Ventura
• Principal investigator abroad: Akwatu Khenti
• Institution abroad: University of Toronto (U of T), Canada
• Home Institution: Escola de Enfermagem de Ribeirão Preto (EERP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil
• Partner institutions: Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH)
• Associated scholarship(s): 20/06469-4 - Exploring stigma, discrimination and recovery-based perspectives toward mental illness and substance use problems among primary healthcare providers in Ribeirão Preto, Brazil: a randomized controlled trial, BP.TT; 19/26664-9 - Exploring stigma, discrimination and recovery-based perspectives toward mental illness and substance use problems among primary healthcare providers in Ribeirão Preto, Brazil: a randomized controlled trial, BP.TT; 19/22165-8 - Exploring stigma, discrimination and recovery-based perspectives toward mental illness and substance use problems among primary healthcare providers in Ribeirão Preto, Brazil: a randomized controlled trial, BP.TT; + associated scholarships 19/17797-5 - Exploring stigma, discrimination and recovery-based perspectives toward mental illness and substance use problems among primary healthcare providers in Ribeirão Preto, Brazil: a randomized controlled trial, BP.TT; 18/26143-6 - Exploring stigma, discrimination and recovery-based perspectives toward mental illness and substance use problems among primary healthcare providers in Ribeirão Preto, Brazil: a randomized controlled tria, BP.TT; 18/16566-7 - Exploring stigma, discrimination and Recovery-Based perspectives toward mental illness and substance use problems among primary healthcare providers in Ribeirão Preto, Brazil: a randomized controlled tria, BP.TT; 18/15823-6 - Exploring stigma, discrimination and recovery-based perspectives toward mental illness and substance use problems among primary healthcare providers in Ribeirão Preto, Brazil: a randomized controlled trial, BP.TT - associated scholarships

Abstract

Stigma toward persons with mental illness and substance use problems (MISUP) is prevalent in health care settings, affecting individuals across all ages, cultures and socio-economic backgrounds. It can function as a critical barrier to the quality of health care as well as to the continued use of services for people affected by MISUP. Due to the barriers associated with stigma and discrimination, a pi lot project, one of the first to explore stigma-related attitudes among health care providers in the Canadian primary health care (PHC) context, was successfully implemented in three Toronto community health centers and resulted in the creation of a comprehensive anti-stigma intervention. The intervention proved to be effective at improving stigmatizing attitudes among health professionals toward people with M ISUP. As a result, this five-year study aims to address stigma by adapting this newly developed, evidence-based anti-stigma/pro- recovery intervention targeting professionals at primary health care centers, specifically Family Health Units (FHUs) in the Brazilian context. Six FHUs in the municipality of Ribeirão Preto who serve individuals with MISUP in their catchment areas will be the settings where the study will take place. This study will also test the feasibility of delivering an organizational level, or multi-faceted approach, to address stigma and discrimination among FHU providers, while promoting pro-recovery practices in the Brazilian context. In consonance with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 3, 10 and 17 and the WHO Mental Health Action Plan 2013-2020, this is the first Brazilian study to evaluate a comprehensive anti-stigma intervention targeting FHU providers from an organizational perspective. It will lead to a better understanding of stigma among FHU providers and will be the first evidence-based, standardized, validated recovery-oriented anti-stigma intervention targeting them, which may be scaled up to other FHUs and primary health care centers across Brazil, including but not limited to, Basic Health Units, Health Centers, Social Community Health Centers and Emergency Medical Care Centers at local, regional and national levels. The project involves local health authorities and stakeholders which will contribute to the potential scalability and sustainability of the intervention after the end of the project, improving mental health outcomes in the country and ideally across South America. (AU)