Self-stigma and associated factors among Outpatients with Schizophrenia in low income East African countries: Ethiopia

Background: Even though there are efforts to expand of psychiatric treatment and recovery, there is limited data on the extent that self stigma complicates the psychiatric treatment adherence and lives of outpatients with schizophrenia in low income East African countries. This study was conducted with aim determine distribution of self stigma and associated socio-demographic and clinical factors among outpatients with schizophrenia in Ethiopia. Methods the study was an institution based cross-sectional conducted at Ayder Referral Hospital, Northern Ethiopia. Single population proportion formula was used to calculate sample size. Consecutive consenting outpatients with schizophrenia selected and assessed using Tigrigna version of the perceived devaluation and discrimination scale. Result data was collected from 2016 outpatients with schizophrenia; with response rate of 92.7%, who were males (70.8%), single (59.7%), within age range of 23 to34 years (42.1%), (Orthodox in religion (81.6%), could not read and write (52.8%), unemployed (86.6%), living in rural areas (55.1%) and with their family (82.9%). The mean ages of the participants were 32.9 years. 67.1% of the study participants reported self stigma. Factors such as being single (AOR=6.2, 95% CI= 1.83-21.21), rural resident (AOR=3.7, 95% CI= 1.47-9.14), living alone (AOR=9.5, 95% CI= 1.59-56.40), low educational status (AOR= 13.4, 95% CI=2.1-13.16), being with the illness with delayed treatment for more than eleven years (AOR=11.6, 95% CI=2.19-61.7), non-adherence to clinical follow up (AOR=10.6, 95% CI=2.96-12.7) and medications non-adherence (AOR=3.7, 95% CI=1.10-12.37) were positively significantly associated with self stigma of outpatients with schizophrenia. Conclusion and Recommendation self stigma is major problem of outpatients with schizophrenia of low income country Ethiopia. Especially, self stigma complicates the lives of single and low educational level persons with schizophrenia and is likely disrupt the psychiatric treatment and recovery process. Our findings recommend that non-governmental and international charity organizations shall help persons with schizophrenia reduce their self stigma.