AUTHOR=Helmert Claudia , Speerforck Sven , Fleischer Toni , Otten Danielle , Kasinger Christoph , Brähler Elmar , Muehlan Holger , Altweck Laura , Hahm Stefanie , Schmidt Silke , Reusche Matthias , Glaesmer Heide , Hinz Andreas , Reyes Nigar , Wirkner Kerstin , Engel Christoph , Schomerus Georg , Ulke Christine 

TITLE=Explorative analyses on spatial differences in the desire for social distance toward people with mental illness in a diverging city

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Public Health

VOLUME=11

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1260118

DOI=10.3389/fpubh.2023.1260118

ISSN=2296-2565

ABSTRACT=<sec id="sec1"><title>Introduction</title><p>Stigma is an individual and societal process based on attitudes and power and relates to both spatial disparities and social distinction. In this study, we examined differences in desire for social distance toward people with mental illness within a city using social and spatial information.</p></sec><sec id="sec2"><title>Methods</title><p>ANOVAs and Scheffé <italic>post-hoc</italic> tests analyzed varying desires for social distance toward people with mental illness within Leipzig (East Germany). Joint Correspondence Analyses (JCA) explored correspondences between desire for social distance, socio-economic status, age, life orientation, social support, duration of living in Leipzig, and shame toward having a mental illness in five city districts of Leipzig in LIFE study participants (by Leipzig Research Center for Civilization Disease, data collected 2011–2014 and 2018–2021, <italic>n</italic> = 521).</p></sec><sec id="sec3"><title>Results</title><p>Stigma varied among Leipzig’s districts (<italic>F</italic>(<italic>df</italic> = 4) = 4.52, <italic>p</italic> = 0.001). JCAs showed that a higher desired social distance toward people with mental illness corresponded with spatial differences, high levels of pessimism, high shame of being mentally ill, low social support, low socio-economic status, and older age (75.74 and 81.22% explained variances).</p></sec><sec id="sec4"><title>Conclusion</title><p>In terms of stigma, where people with mental illness live matters. The results identified target groups that should be addressed by appropriate intervention and prevention strategies for mental health care.</p></sec>