Topline Results of Lansdowne Omnibus Survey in the Republic of Ireland:

1,400 adults (aged 15+) interviewed at 70 points throughout Ireland in May 1999.

Percentage of the general public indicating that they "Know nothing or Know very little about" the following mental disorders:

• Schizophrenia - 74%
• Eating Disorders - 64%
• Anxiety states - 63%
• Alzheimer's disease - 61%
• Depression - 56%
• Drug & Alcohol abuse - 52%

For all conditions, except Eating disorders and Drug abuse, lack of knowledge is highest in the 15 to 24 year old age group:

• 28% of 15 to 24 year olds know nothing at all about Schizophrenia
• 79% of 15 to 24 year olds know nothing / very little about Schizophrenia
• 72% of 15 to 24 year olds know nothing / very little about Anxiety disorders
• 67% of 15 to 24 year olds know nothing / very little about Depression.

9 out of 10 adults know someone who has one of the six disorders above, and they tend to have increased levels of knowledge about these illnesses:

Older people know more people with depression and Alzheimer’s dementia.

KNOWING SOMEONE WITH MENTAL ILLNESS DOES NOT PREDICT SOFTER ATTITUDES TO THE MENTAL DISORDERS.

SCHIZOPHRENIA

• 52% of Irish people still believe Schizophrenia is a split personality (Lilly Survey)
• 74% admit to knowing nothing or very little about the illness
• Only 20% of 15 to 24 year olds know something about Schizophrenia
• Only 9% of Irish people actually know someone with Schizophrenia (This is the lowest figure for any of the six conditions)
• 70% believe people with Schizophrenia are unpredictable (This is the highest figure for any of the six conditions)
• 57% believe someone with Schizophrenia is dangerous (This is second only to alcohol and drug abuse) 
• 45% say that people with Schizophrenia are hard to talk to. So they don’t bother
• Schizophrenia showed the lowest empathy ratings of all: only 11% agreed that they could feel the same way as people with this illness.
• These negative attitudes are highest in young people.

KNOWING SOMEONE WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA DOES NOT PREDICT SOFTER ATTITUDES TO THE DISORDER.

Overall, Knowledge about mental illness is higher than in international studies - This is especially true for Depression and Alzheimer’s dementia.

Knowledge is highest in over 30s, women and white-collar workers.

Irish people do not blame people for mental illness – with the exception of Eating disorders and Alcohol and drug abuse:

• Not to blame for Schizophrenia - 67%

• Not to blame for Anxiety - 60%

• Not to blame for Anxiety - 68%

Pull Yourself Together attitudes are less common in Ireland than other countries:

• Alzheimer’s disease - 3%

• Schizophrenia - 7%

• Depression - 23%

• Anxiety states - 27%

However, this is not the case for two disorders, where the "PYT" attitude prevails:

• Eating disorders - 37%

• Drug & Alcohol abuse - 60%

There is a general optimism about the beneficial effects of treatment:

 

• 53% of people with Schizophrenia will greatly improve if treated
• But only 14% think people with schizophrenia can make a full recovery
• 70% believe people with an Eating disorder will improve if treated
• 78% of people with Depression will greatly improve if treated.

 

• To measure public attitudes to mental illness for the first time in Ireland
• To compare knowledge and attitudes in Ireland with Northern Ireland and the UK (identical studies have already been completed in each of these jurisdictions)
• To see which mental disorders had the greatest levels of misunderstanding Highest levels of misunderstanding relate to Schizophrenia whilst people are especially blaming of others with Eating disorders
• To identify groups by age, sex, location and social class for educational purposes
  The results indicate that young people have a particular set of attitudes which need attention, and men appear to have more critical attitudes to people who are ill
• To repeat the Survey at the end of a four-year Campaign as a test of its effectiveness
• To identify the nature of stigma in Ireland:

All information will be shared with patient and carer organisations, and will be published in the scientific press.

The Lansdowne Survey was made possible by funding from Pfizer Ireland Limited.

Presentations

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Designed by: Richard Fitzpatrick for Stephen Cummins Ltd
Copyright © 1999, Stephen Cummins Ltd.
Revised -- 26/11/99