Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Many Canadians stigmatize mentally ill, poll finds

From CTV News:
Many Canadians hold negative attitudes towards people with mental health issues, says a new poll released Monday by the Canadian Medical Association.

The CMA says those attitudes have not changed in decades. The federal government has announced $75 million in funding to de-stigmatize mental health in Canada, but results could take years.

The poll, which was part of the CMA's 2008 National Report Card, showed 46 per cent of Canadians think people use the term "mental illness" as an excuse for bad behaviour.

One of four Canadians in the survey said they were scared to be around someone with a mental illness - something that doesn't surprise Tammy Lambert. ...more

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