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Examining the effects of mental health literacy on stigma : study of Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service (ZPCS)
Chiobvu, Darlington Onifade, Hauwa Javangwe, Gwatirera Sami, Musa
Chiobvu, Darlington
Onifade, Hauwa
Javangwe, Gwatirera
Sami, Musa
Abstract
Background Mental illness affects an estimated 500 million people globally, with 85% living in low- and medium-income countries (LMICs). Research has shown that people with mental illness are over-represented in the criminal justice system compared with the general population. There is limited information available on institutional attitudes towards mental illness in LMICs. Aims This study aimed to examine mental health literacy (MHL) and mental health stigma (MHS) among Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service (ZPCS) officers. Method A cross-sectional study using an online survey was conducted among ZPCS officers (N = 163) between August and December 2022. Data were collected using the Mental Health Literacy Scale (MHLS) and Attitudes Towards Mentally Ill Offenders (ATMIO). The primary hypothesis was that increased MHL is inversely related to MHS in this group. Results A significant inverse correlation was found between MHL and MHS (r = 0.36, P < 0.001). A regression analysis controlling for age and sex showed that MHLS is a statistically significant component in this model, indicating that MHL is associated with reduced MHS (P < 0.001). Conclusions In this group, increased MHL is associated with decreased MHS. This suggests that interventions to increase MHL should be further evaluated in these settings.
Copyright © 2025 The Author(s).
Copyright © 2025 The Author(s).
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Date
2025
Type
Article
Subject
Mental health, Health literacy, Prisons, Stigma, Staff development
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Citation
Chiobvu, D., Onifade, H., Javangwe, G. & Sami, M. (2025). Examining the effects of mental health literacy on stigma : study of Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service (ZPCS). BJPsych International, DOI: 10.1192/bji.2025.11.
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Cambridge University Press
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© The Author(s), 2025. Published
by Cambridge University Press on
behalf of Royal College of
Psychiatrists. This is an Open
Access article, distributed under
the terms of the Creative
Commons Attribution licence
(https://creativecommons.org/
licenses/by/4.0/), which permits
unrestricted re-use, distribution
and reproduction, provided the
original article is properly cited.
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