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Listen
WELL? WHAT DO YOU THINK?
CHAPTER EIGHT. CONCLUSIONS
8.1. The broad aims of the survey were to assess people's understanding of mental health and well being, to investigate the sources of information about mental health issues that are useful to them and to gauge their experience of and attitudes to mental health problems. Findings in all these areas provide useful information for local and national policy and practice and for the continuing and future work of the National Programme to Improve Mental Health and Well Being.
8.2. Strong links were found between both general health and rates of mental health/vitality and a range of socio-economic factors. There were also links between levels of stress reported by respondents and their assessment of their own health, energy and state of mind.
8.3. People demonstrated awareness of factors that might influence their mental health and well being (positively or negatively). There were significant differences in the factors considered important by people in different age groups. However, it was not possible to tell whether priorities change as people become older, or whether factors such as the language, education and social conditioning of different generations influence their responses to questions of this type.
8.4. There was no direct correlation between the factors claimed by respondents to have a negative effect on their mental health and well being and the things they felt could make the biggest difference to it. For example, although people between the ages of 25 and 54 were significantly more likely to cite stress as a major negative component of their lives than people in other age groups, this effect was not observable when people considered factors that could make a difference to their mental health and well being. Financial concerns dominated their wish list although, of course, it is possible that greater financial security could be seen as contributing to a less stressful life.
8.5. There are various encouraging findings from the parts of the survey which dealt with people's attitudes towards those who experience mental health problems. People in the sample were generally ready to socialise or work closely with a man or woman exhibiting the symptoms of depression, schizophrenia or stress. There was also widespread recognition that people with mental health problems are not to blame for their condition and should have equal rights with the rest of the population. However, there was some reluctance to get too close (for example, to have a man with depression or schizophrenia marry into the family).
8.6. Analysis of people's responses to a battery of attitudinal statements indicated that younger people were (broadly) likely to be more tolerant than people over the age of 75. Those people whose attitudes appeared to be most firmly entrenched were the least keen to have contact with people with mental illness. However, almost a quarter of all respondents displayed a mixture of attitudes, suggesting that they would probably be amenable to initiatives to increase awareness and tackle stigma. Almost half of all respondents recognised that the media tend to deal negatively with mental health issues - almost three times as many as believed there was a positive slant.
8.7. The sample size for the survey is robust and representative of the Scottish population. While there are no obvious caveats to be borne in mind when considering its findings, there are one or two issues which should be flagged. First, there was a relatively high refusal rate for the survey (23%). Although there was no evidence of visible bias in terms of the noted profile (ethnicity, evidence of children in the home etc) of those people who refused to participate, it is not possible to tell whether there are attitudinal biases in the weighted sample of participants.
8.8. Second, it should be noted that respondents who said they had personal experience of mental health problems were asked (during the interview) whether they had ever decided not to disclose the condition during a variety of formal application processes. A small minority agreed that they had done so. Bearing this in mind, it is possible that people may have been chosen to withhold information about their personal experiences when they were answering some of our wider survey questions. We respect their position and feel that this reinforces the agenda for change and improvement in current attitudes to people who experience mental health problems.
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