Background: Two representative surveys conducted in the early 1990 s found very negative views on psychotropic medication among the German public. The question arises whether this reservation about drug treatment of mental disorders has persisted over the following decade, or whether there have been any changes. Furthermore, it will be examined whether the preexisting differences between East and West Germany can still be observed. Methods: In 2001, a representative survey was conducted among the German population aged 18 years and older, using the same instrument for the assessment of perceived effects of psychotropic medication as in a previous survey in 1990. Results: As expected, in 2001, those questioned were more ready to acknowledge beneficial effects of drug treatment. However, contrary to our expectation, the difference between East and West Germany has persisted, with people in the East still being more sceptical in their assessment of drug effects. Conclusion: Although public attitudes towards psychotropic drugs have improved somewhat over the last decade, the actual situation is far from being satisfying. Further efforts to improve public knowledge about the psychopharmacotherapy of mental disorders are needed.
References
-
1
Angermeyer M C, Däumer R, Matschinger H.
Benefits and risks of psychotropic medication in the eyes of the general public: Results of a survey in the Federal Republic of Germany.
Pharmacopsychiatry.
1993;
26
114-120
-
2
Angermeyer M C, Matschinger H.
Public attitude towards psychiatric treatment.
Acta Psychiatr Scand.
1996;
94
326-336
-
3 Angermeyer M C, Matschinger H. The public’s attitude towards drug treatment of schizophrenia. In: Guimón J, Fischer W, Sartorius N (eds) The image of madness. The public facing mental illness and psychiatric treatment. Karger Basel; 1999: pp 152-161
-
4
Beck M, Matschinger H, Angermeyer M C.
Social representations of major depression in Western and Eastern Germany: Do differences still persist 12 years after reunification?.
Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol.
2003;
38
520-525
-
5
Benkert O, Graf-Morgenstern M, Hillert A, Sandmann J, Ehmig S C, Weissbecker H, Kepplinger H M, Sobota K.
Public opinion on psychotropic drugs: An analysis of the factors influencing acceptance or rejection.
J Nerv Ment Dis.
1997;
185
151-158
-
6 Berth H, Brähler E. Deutsch-deutsche Vergleiche - psychologische Untersuchungen nach dem Mauerfall. VWF Berlin; 1999
-
7 Davison A C, Hinkley D V. Bootstrap methods and their application. Cambridge University Press Cambridge; 1997
-
8 Fischer W, Goerg D, Zbinden E, Guimón J. Determining factors and the effects of attitudes towards psychotropic medication. In: Guimón J, Fischer W, Sartorius N (eds) The image of madness. The public facing mental illness and psychiatric treatment. Karger Basel; 1999: pp 162-186
-
9 Gifi A. Nonlinear multivariate analysis. Wiley Chichester, New York, Brisbane; 1990
-
10 Greenacre M J, Blasius J. Correspondence analysis in the social sciences. Recent developments and applications. London; Academic Press 1994
-
11
Greenberg R P, Bornstein R F, Zborowski M J, Fisher S, Greenberg M D.
A meta-analysis of fluoxetine outcome in the treatment of depression.
J Nerv Ment Dis.
1994;
182
5476-5551
-
12 Hoffmann-Richter U. Psychiatrie in der Zeitung. Edition Das Narrenschiff im Psychiatrie Verlag. Bonn; 2000
-
13
Jorm A F.
Mental health literacy. Public knowledge and beliefs about mental disorders.
Br J Psychiatry.
2000;
177
396-401
-
14 Jorm A F, Angermeyer M C, Katschnig H. Public knowledge of and attitudes to mental disorders: a limiting factor in the optimal use of treatment services. In: Andrews G, Henderson AS (eds) Unmet need in psychiatry. Cambridge; Cambridge University Press 2000: pp 399-413
-
15
Jorm A F, Korten A E, Rodger B, Pollitt P, Jacomb P A, Christensen H, Jiao Z.
Belief systems of the public concerning the appropriate treatments of mental disorders.
Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol.
1997;
32
468-473
-
16 Kohnen B. Akkulturation und kognitive Kompetenz. Waxmann Münster New York; 1998
-
17
Lane R, Balwin D, Preskorn S.
The SSRIs: advantages, disadvantages and differences.
J Psychopharmacol.
1995;
9(Suppl.)
1163-1178
-
18 Lebart L, Morineau A, Warwick K M. Multivariate descriptive statistical analysis. Wiley New York, Chichester, Brisbane; 1984
-
19
Leucht S, Pitschel-Walz G, Abraham D, Kissling W.
Efficacy and extrapyramidal side-effects of the new antipsychiotics olanzapine, quetiapine, risperidone, and sertindole compared to conventional antipsychotics and placebo. A meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.
Schizophr Res.
1999;
35
51-68
-
20 Matschinger H. Analysis of ”don't know” answers by cluster analysis with optimal scaling features. In Ferligoij A, Kramberger A (Eds) Developments in data analysis. Ljubljana; Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ljubljana 1996: pp 167-184
-
21
Paykel E S, Hart D, Priest R G.
Changes in public attitudes to depression during the defeat depression campaign.
Br J Psychiatry.
1998;
173
519-522
-
22
Priest R G, Vize C h, Roberts A, Roberts M, Tylee A.
Lay people’s attitudes to treatment of depression: results of opinion poll for Defeat Depression Campaign just before its launch.
Br Med J.
1996;
313
858-859
-
23 van der Burg E. Nonlinear canonical correlation and some related techniques. DSWO Press Leiden; 1988
Matthias C. Angermeyer, M.D.
Department of Psychiatry
University of Leipzig
Johannisstr. 20
04317 Leipzig
Germany
Phone: +49 341 972 4530
Fax: +49 341 972 4539
Email: krausem@medizin.uni-leipzig.de
