Tuesday, November 30, 2004

Mental health survey uncovers discrimination (New Zealand)
Story at Stuff - "Friends and families of more than half of the respondents in a survey of people with mental illness left them out of activities, called them abusive names or cut them out of their lives completely. Respect Costs Nothing, a survey of 785 people who had experienced mental illness, was released yesterday by the Ministry of Health. Fifty-nine per cent reported being discriminated against by friends and family, 61 per cent of whom were pakeha, 57 per cent Maori, and 49 per cent Pacific Islander. Forms of discrimination included being ignored by fearful friends or siblings, locked out of family dwellings or threatened with admission to psychological institutions. The survey is the latest step in a government-funded campaign, Like Minds, Like Mine, designed to reduce the stigma on mental-illness sufferers."