Dear Colleagues,

Stigma against persons with mental illness is a global barrier to assuring engagement with adequate clinical and community services. Therefore, in addition to providing treatment for persons with mental illness, initiatives are needed to reduce stigma in health care settings, communities, and families. Unfortunately, there is a lack of research to guide stigma reduction programs, especially in low- and middle-income countries, as well as in other low-resource settings, varied by culture and context. The goal of this Special Issue is to describe innovative research and intervention to understand and intervene to reduce stigma in low-resource and cross-cultural settings. The articles in this Special Issue will examine stigma reduction efforts and the role of culture and context. The articles will explore models for changing stigma among primary care workers. The articles will also examine structural stigma at the health institutional level. In addition, the articles will address communities and stakeholders in the community, and how they relate to the health system. These findings will demonstrate how stigma against mental illness can be reduced at the primary care worker level, the health institutional level, and the community-health institution intersection. Ultimately, stigma reduction is a vital component to improve healthcare for people living with mental illness.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Brandon A. Kohrt
Guest Editor

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• Stigma
• Discrimination
• Prejudice
• Attitudes
• Mental health
• Primary care
• Health workers