Stigma and discrimination

يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لَا يَسۡخَرۡ قَوۡمࣱ مِّن قَوۡمٍ عَسَىٰٓ أَن يَكُونُواْ خَيۡرࣰ ا مِّنۡهُمۡ وَلَا نِسَآءࣱ مِّن نِّسَآءٍ عَسَىٰٓ أَن يَكُنَّ خَيۡرࣰ ا مِّنۡهُنَّۖ وَلَا تَلۡمِزُوٓاْ أَنفُسَكُمۡ وَلَا تَنَابَزُواْ بِٱلۡأَلۡقَٰبِۖ بِئۡسَ ٱلِٱسۡمُ ٱلۡفُسُوقُ بَعۡدَ ٱلۡإِيمَٰنِۚ وَمَن لَّمۡ يَتُبۡ فَأُوْلَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلظَّٰلِمُونَ

Believers, no one group of men should jeer at another, who may after all be better than them; no one group of women should jeer at another, who may after all be better than them; do not speak ill of one another; do not use offensive nicknames for one another. How bad it is to be called a mischief-maker after accepting faith! Those who do not repent of this behaviour are evildoers

إِنَّا كَفَيۡنَٰكَ ٱلۡمُسۡتَهۡزِءِينَ

We are enough for you against all those who ridicule your message

وَلَقَدِ ٱسۡتُهۡزِئَ بِرُسُلࣲ مِّن قَبۡلِكَ فَحَاقَ بِٱلَّذِينَ سَخِرُواْ مِنۡهُم مَّا كَانُواْ بِهِۦ يَسۡتَهۡزِءُونَ

Messengers before you [Muhammad] were also ridiculed, but those who mocked them were overwhelmed in the end by the very thing they had mocked

وَقَدۡ نَزَّلَ عَلَيۡكُمۡ فِي ٱلۡكِتَٰبِ أَنۡ إِذَا سَمِعۡتُمۡ ءَايَٰتِ ٱللَّهِ يُكۡفَرُ بِهَا وَيُسۡتَهۡزَأُ بِهَا فَلَا تَقۡعُدُواْ مَعَهُمۡ حَتَّىٰ يَخُوضُواْ فِي حَدِيثٍ غَيۡرِهِۦٓ إِنَّكُمۡ إِذࣰ ا مِّثۡلُهُمۡۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ جَامِعُ ٱلۡمُنَٰفِقِينَ وَٱلۡكَٰفِرِينَ فِي جَهَنَّمَ جَمِيعًا

As He has already revealed to you [believers] in the Scripture, if you hear people denying and ridiculing God’s revelation, do not sit with them unless they start to talk of other things, or else you yourselves will become like them: God will gather all the hypocrites and disbelievers together into Hell

يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لَا تَتَّخِذُواْ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّخَذُواْ دِينَكُمۡ هُزُوࣰ ا وَلَعِبࣰ ا مِّنَ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ ٱلۡكِتَٰبَ مِن قَبۡلِكُمۡ وَٱلۡكُفَّارَ أَوۡلِيَآءَۚ وَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤۡمِنِينَ

You who believe, do not take as allies those who ridicule your religion and make fun of it- whether people who were given the Scripture before you, or disbelievers- and be mindful of God if you are true believers

وَإِذَا نَادَيۡتُمۡ إِلَى ٱلصَّلَوٰةِ ٱتَّخَذُوهَا هُزُوࣰ ا وَلَعِبࣰ اۚ ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمۡ قَوۡمࣱ لَّا يَعۡقِلُونَ

When you make the call to prayer, they ridicule it and make fun of it: this is because they are people who do not reason

(O ye who believe! Let not a folk deride a folk who may be better than they (are)�) [49:11]. This was revealed about Thabit ibn Qays ibn Shimas. The latter was hard of hearing and when he came to see the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, the Companions made room for him in order for him to sit next to the Prophet so that he could hear him. He came one day when people were already seated and started stepping over people, saying: �Make room! Make room!� One man said to him: �You have found a place, so sit down!� Thabit sat down but he was angry. He tried to tease the man. He said: �Who are you?� The man said: �So-and-so�. Thabit exclaimed: �What, the son of so-and-so�, and he mentioned his mother about whom they used to taunt him in the pre-Islamic period. The man lowered his head out of embarrassment. Then, Allah, exalted is He, revealed this verse. (� not let women

O you who believe do not let any people that is any men among you deride yā ayyuhā’lladhīna āmanū lā yaskhar … to the end of the verse was revealed regarding the Banū Tamīm delegation when they derided the poor among the Muslims like ‘Ammār b. Yāsir and Suhayb al-Rūmī; al-sukhriya means ‘scorn’ and ‘disdain’ another people who may be better than they are in God’s sight; nor let any women from among you deride other women who may be better than they are. And do not defame one another do not cast aspersions on others and hence have aspersions cast on you that is let none among you denigrate another; nor insult one another by nicknames do not call another by a nickname which he detests such as ‘O degenerate one!’ or ‘O disbeliever!’. Evil is the name mentioned out of mockery derision and mutual reviling of immorality after faith! al-fusūqu ba‘da’l-īmāni substitutes for al-ismu ‘the name’ to

(O Ye who believe! Choose not for guardians such of those who received the Scripture before you, and of the disbelievers, as make a jest and sport of your religion) [5:57]. Said Ibn �Abbas: �Rifa�ah ibn Zayd and Suwayd ibn al-Harith were among those who displayed their faith in Islam but were hypocrites. Some Muslim men used to show affection to them, and so Allah, exalted is He, revealed this verse�.

(And when ye call to prayer they take it for a jest and sport�) [5:58]. Said al-Kalbi: �When the caller to prayer, appointed by the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, called to prayer, the Muslims stood up to perform it. Seeing this, the Jews used to comment: 'they stood up, may they never stand up! They prayed, may they never pray! They bowed down, may they never bow down!' They used to say this to mock the Muslims and make fun of them. And so Allah, exalted is He, revealed this verse�. Said al-Suddi: �This was revealed about a man from the helpers of Medina. Whenever he heard the caller to prayer say, 'I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah', he would say: 'May the liar be burnt!' One night, the servant of this man entered his house and brought some fire with him, while this man and his family were sleeping. A spark from this fire caused the whole h

It has been revealed read active nazzala ‘He has revealed’ or passive nuzzila ‘It has been revealed’ to you in the Book in the Qur’ān in sūrat al-An‘ām Q. 668 that an has been softened and its subject omitted in other words read it as annahu ‘When you hear God’s signs the Qur’ān being disbelieved in and mocked do not sit with them that is the disbelievers and the mockers until they engage in some other talk for otherwise you if you were to sit with them would surely be like them’ in sinfulness. God will gather the hypocrites and disbelievers all together into Hell just as they were gathered together in this world in unbelief and mockery.

Verily, those who believe, then disbelieve, then believe (again), and (again) disbelieve, and go on increasing in disbelief; Allah will not forgive them, nor guide them on the (right) way (137)Give to the hypocrites the tidings that there is for them a painful torment (138)Those who take disbelievers for friends instead of believers, do they seek honor with them? Verily, then to Allah belongs all honor (139)And it has already been revealed to you in the Book that when you hear the verses of Allah being denied and mocked at, then sit not with them, until they engage in talk other than that; certainly in that case you would be like them. Surely, Allah will collect the hypocrites and disbelievers all together in Hell (140) Characteristics of the Hypocrites and Their Destination Allah states that whoever embraces the faith, reverts from it, embraces it again, reverts from it and remains on

حَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، أَخْبَرَنَا مُعَاذُ بْنُ هِشَامٍ، حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي الْمُتَوَكِّلِ النَّاجِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ إِذَا خَلَصَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ مِنَ النَّارِ حُبِسُوا بِقَنْطَرَةٍ بَيْنَ الْجَنَّةِ وَالنَّارِ، فَيَتَقَاصُّونَ مَظَالِمَ كَانَتْ بَيْنَهُمْ فِي الدُّنْيَا، حَتَّى إِذَا نُقُّوا وَهُذِّبُوا أُذِنَ لَهُمْ بِدُخُولِ الْجَنَّةِ، فَوَالَّذِي نَفْسُ مُحَمَّدٍ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِيَدِهِ لأَحَدُهُمْ بِمَسْكَنِهِ فِي الْجَنَّةِ أَدَلُّ بِمَنْزِلِهِ كَانَ فِي الدُّنْيَا ‏"‏‏.‏ وَقَالَ يُونُسُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ حَدَّثَنَا شَيْبَانُ عَنْ قَتَادَةَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْمُتَوَكِّلِ‏.‏

Narrated Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri:Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "When the believers pass safely over (the bridge across) Hell, they will be stopped at a bridge in between Hell and Paradise where they will retaliate upon each other for the injustices done among them in the world, and when they get purified of all their sins, they will be admitted into Paradise. By Him in Whose Hands the life of Muhammad is everybody will recognize his dwelling in Paradise better than he recognizes his dwelling in this world

حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، حَدَّثَنَا هَمَّامٌ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي قَتَادَةُ، عَنْ صَفْوَانَ بْنِ مُحْرِزٍ الْمَازِنِيِّ، قَالَ بَيْنَمَا أَنَا أَمْشِي، مَعَ ابْنِ عُمَرَ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ آخِذٌ بِيَدِهِ إِذْ عَرَضَ رَجُلٌ، فَقَالَ كَيْفَ سَمِعْتَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي النَّجْوَى فَقَالَ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ ‏ "‏ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُدْنِي الْمُؤْمِنَ فَيَضَعُ عَلَيْهِ كَنَفَهُ، وَيَسْتُرُهُ فَيَقُولُ أَتَعْرِفُ ذَنْبَ كَذَا أَتَعْرِفُ ذَنْبَ كَذَا فَيَقُولُ نَعَمْ أَىْ رَبِّ‏.‏ حَتَّى إِذَا قَرَّرَهُ بِذُنُوبِهِ وَرَأَى فِي نَفْسِهِ أَنَّهُ هَلَكَ قَالَ سَتَرْتُهَا عَلَيْكَ فِي الدُّنْيَا، وَأَنَا أَغْفِرُهَا لَكَ الْيَوْمَ‏.‏ فَيُعْطَى كِتَابَ حَسَنَاتِهِ، وَأَمَّا الْكَافِرُ وَالْمُنَافِقُونَ فَيَقُولُ الأَشْهَادُ هَؤُلاَءِ الَّذِينَ كَذَبُوا عَلَى رَبِّهِمْ، أَلاَ لَعْنَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَى الظَّالِمِينَ ‏"‏‏.‏

Narrated Safwan bin Muhriz Al-Mazini:While I was walking with Ibn `Umar holding his hand, a man came in front of us and asked, "What have you heard from Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) about An-Najwa?" Ibn `Umar said, "I heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) saying, 'Allah will bring a believer near Him and shelter him with His Screen and ask him: Did you commit such-and-such sins? He will say: Yes, my Lord. Allah will keep on asking him till he will confess all his sins and will think that he is ruined. Allah will say: 'I did screen your sins in the world and I forgive them for you today', and then he will be given the book of his good deeds. Regarding infidels and hypocrites (their evil acts will be exposed publicly) and the witnesses will say: These are the people who lied against their Lord. Behold! The Curse of Allah is upon the wrongdoers

حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ، حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مُوسَى الْمَخْزُومِيُّ الْمَدَنِيُّ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْمَقْبُرِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ لِلْمُؤْمِنِ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِ سِتُّ خِصَالٍ يَعُودُهُ إِذَا مَرِضَ وَيَشْهَدُهُ إِذَا مَاتَ وَيُجِيبُهُ إِذَا دَعَاهُ وَيُسَلِّمُ عَلَيْهِ إِذَا لَقِيَهُ وَيُشَمِّتُهُ إِذَا عَطَسَ وَيَنْصَحُ لَهُ إِذَا غَابَ أَوْ شَهِدَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ ‏.‏ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مُوسَى الْمَخْزُومِيُّ الْمَدَنِيُّ ثِقَةٌ رَوَى عَنْهُ عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ وَابْنُ أَبِي فُدَيْكٍ ‏.‏

Narrated Abu Hurairah:that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "There are six things due from the believer to another believer: Visiting him when he is ill, attending (his funeral) to him when he dies, accepting his invitation when he invites, giving him Salam when he meets him, replying to him when he sneezes, and wishing him well when he is absent and when he is present

حَدَّثَنَا حُمَيْدُ بْنُ مَسْعَدَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا زِيَادُ بْنُ الرَّبِيعِ، حَدَّثَنَا حَضْرَمِيٌّ، مَوْلَى آلِ الْجَارُودِ عَنْ نَافِعٍ، أَنَّ رَجُلاً، عَطَسَ إِلَى جَنْبِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ فَقَالَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ وَالسَّلاَمُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ‏.‏ قَالَ ابْنُ عُمَرَ وَأَنَا أَقُولُ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ وَالسَّلاَمُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ وَلَيْسَ هَكَذَا عَلَّمَنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَلَّمَنَا أَنْ نَقُولَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ عَلَى كُلِّ حَالٍ ‏.‏ قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ غَرِيبٌ لاَ نَعْرِفُهُ إِلاَّ مِنْ حَدِيثِ زِيَادِ بْنِ الرَّبِيعِ ‏.‏

Narrated Hadrami, the freed slave of the family of Al-Jarud:from Nafi: "A man sneezed beside Ibn 'Umar and said: 'Al-Hamdulillah Was-Salamu 'Ala Rasulillah. (All praise is due to Allah, and peace upon the Messenger of Allah)'. So Ibn 'Umar said: 'I too say Al-Hamdulillah Was-Salamu 'Ala Rasulillah, but this is not what the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) taught us. He taught us to say: "Al-Hamdulillah 'Ala Kulli Hal (All praise is due to Allah in every circumstance)

^ يا أيها الذين آمنوا لا يسخر قوم من قوم عسى أن يكونوا خيرا منهم ولا نساء من نسآء عسى أن يكن خيرا منهن ولا تلمزوا أنفسكم ولا تنابزوا بالألقاب بئس الاسم الفسوق بعد الإيمان ومن لم يتب فأولئك هم الظالمون ^ الحجرات وقال تعالى ^ ويل لكل همزة لمزة ^ الهمزة

وهذا محرم مهما كان مؤذيا كما قال تعالى يا أيها الذين آمنوا لا يسخر قوم من قوم عسى أن يكونوا خيرا منهم ولا نساء من نساء عسى أن يكن خيرا منهن ومعنى السخرية الاستهانة والتحقير والتنبيه على العيوب والنقائص على وجه يضحك منه وقد يكون ذلك بالمحاكاة في الفعل والقول وقد يكون بالإشارة والإيماء وإذا كان بحضرة المستهزأ به لم يسم ذلك غيبة وفيه معنى الغيبة قالت عائشة رضي الله عنها حاكيت إنسانا فقال لي النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم والله ما أحب أني حاكيت إنسانا ولي كذا وكذا + حديث عائشة حكيت إنسانا فقال لي النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم ما يسرني أني حاكيت إنسانا ولي كذا وكذا أخرجه أبو داود والترمذي وصححه + وقال ابن عباس في قوله تعالى يا ويلتنا ما لهذا الكتاب لا يغادر صغيرة ولا كبيرة إلا أحصاها إن الصغيرة التبسم بالاستهزاء بالمؤمن والكبيرة القهقهة بذلك وهذا إشارة إلى أن الضحك على الناس من جملة الذنوب والكبائر وعن عبد الله بن زمعة أنه قال سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وهو يخطب فوعظهم في ضحكهم من الضرطة فقال علا

الثامن السخرية والاستهزاء استحقارا له فإن ذلك قد يجري في الحضور ويجري أيضا في الغيبة ومنشؤه التكبر واستصغار المستهزأ به

الآفة السادسة: السخرية والاستهزاء، ومعنى السخرية: الاحتقار والاستهانة، والتنبيه على العيوب والنقائص على وجه يضحك منه، وقد يكون ذلك بالمحاكاة في الفعل والقول، وقد يكون بالشارة والإيماء، وكله ممنوع منه في الشرع، ورد النهى عنه في الكتاب والسنة.

وأما سوء الظن فهو امتلاء قلبه بالظنون السيئة بالناس حتى يطفح على لسانه وجوارحه فهم معه أبدا في الهمز واللمز والطعن والعيب والبغض ببغضهم ويبغضونه ويلعنهم ويلعنونه ويحذرهم ويحذرون منه فالأول يخالطهم ويحترز منهم والثاني يتجنبهم ويلحقه أذاهم الأول داخل فيهم بالنصيحة والإحسان مع الاحتراز والثاني خارج منهم مع الغش والدغل والبغض

وهذا إنما يحرم في حق من يتأذى به فأما من جعل نفسه مسخرة وربما فرح من أن يسخر به كانت السخرية في حقه من جملة المزاح وقد سبق ما يذم منه وما يمدح وإنما المحرم استصغار يتأذى به المستهزأ به لما فيه من التحقير والتهاون وذلك تارة بأن يضحك على كلامه إذا تخبط فيه ولم ينتظم أو على أفعاله إذا كنت مشوشة كالضحك على خطه وعلى صنعته أو على صورته وخلقته إذا كان قصيرا أو ناقصا لعيب من العيوب فالضحك من جميع ذلك داخل في السخرية المنهى عنها الآفة الثانية عشر إفشاء السر

Mass media interventions for reducing mental health-related stigma.: Background: Mental health-related stigma is widespread and has major adverse effects on the lives of people with mental health problems. Its two major components are discrimination (being treated unfairly) and prejudice (stigmatising attitudes). Anti-stigma initiatives often include mass media interventions, and such interventions can be expensive. It is important to know if mass media interventions are effective. Objectives: To assess the effects of mass media interventions on reducing stigma (

Challenging the public stigma of mental illness: a meta-analysis of outcome studies.: Objective: Public stigma and discrimination have pernicious effects on the lives of people with serious mental illnesses. Given a plethora of research on changing the stigma of mental illness, this article reports on a meta-analysis that examined the effects of antistigma approaches that included protest or social activism, education of the public, and contact with persons with mental illness. Methods: The investigators heeded published guidelines for systematic literature reviews in health care

The different faces of mental illness stigma: Systematic variation of stereotypes, prejudice and discrimination by type of illness.: Mental illness (MI) stigma has been characterized as multi-dimensional including problems of knowledge (stereotypes), attitudes (prejudice) and behavior (discrimination); however, most research practice is predominantly applying unidimensional behavioral measures such as social distance scales. Moreover, specific types of MIs and different forms of discriminatory behaviors are not being differentiated. The Stereotype Content Model predicts that group stereotypes (warmth, competence) are linked w

Evidence for effective interventions to reduce mental health-related stigma and discrimination in the medium and long term: systematic review.: Background: Most research on interventions to counter stigma and discrimination has focused on short-term outcomes and has been conducted in high-income settings. Aims: To synthesise what is known globally about effective interventions to reduce mental illness-based stigma and discrimination, in relation first to effectiveness in the medium and long term (minimum 4 weeks), and second to interventions in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Method: We searched six databases from 1980 to 2013

Women's and girls' experiences of menstruation in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review and qualitative metasynthesis.: Background: Attention to women's and girls' menstrual needs is critical for global health and gender equality. The importance of this neglected experience has been elucidated by a growing body of qualitative research, which we systematically reviewed and synthesised. Methods and findings: We undertook systematic searching to identify qualitative studies of women's and girls' experiences of menstruation in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Of 6,892 citations screened, 76 studies reported

Continuum beliefs and mental illness stigma: a systematic review and meta-analysis of correlation and intervention studies.: Background: Promulgating a continuum model of mental health and mental illness has been proposed as a way to reduce stigma by decreasing notions of differentness. This systematic review and meta-analysis examines whether continuum beliefs are associated with lower stigma, and whether continuum interventions reduce stigma. Methods: Following a pre-defined protocol (PROSPERO: CRD42019123606), we searched three electronic databases (PubMed, Web of Science, and PsycINFO) yielding 6726 studies. After

Mental-Health Help-Seeking Among Muslims in the Liverpool City Region: A System-Informed Qualitative Study of Knowledge, Attitudes, Practices.

Background: Muslims in United Kingdom (UK) minority contexts remain underrepresented in mental health research, despite evidence of unequal access and experience. In deprived and superdiverse settings such as the Liverpool City Region (LCR), culturally unsafe encounters, low service literacy and stigma may combine to delay help-seeking and widen inequities. Aim: To explore knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) related to mental health among Muslims in the LCR, and to identify actionable system leverage points to improve access, engagement and culturally responsive care. Methods: A qualitative study informed by social constructivism. Purposive sampling recruited Muslim adults (n = 11; age 18-59; 6 women/5 men) from diverse backgrounds (Yemeni, Somali, Egyptian, Algerian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi). Recruitment was community-enabled through mosques and community networks. Semi-structured i…

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Scabies as a manifestation of structural violence in refugee communities: a case from Rwanda.

BACKGROUND: Scabies, a neglected tropical disease affecting an estimated 200 million people globally, thrives in overcrowded, resource-limited environments and carries significant stigma. Refugee camps present conditions conducive to its spread, yet little is known about how scabies is experienced and understood in such settings. This study explores scabies as a manifestation of structural violence among Kinyarwanda speaking Congolese refugees in Kigeme camp, Rwanda. METHODS: An ethnographic study was conducted from March to September 2022 using participant observation, 19 in-depth interviews with adults affected by scabies, 5 key informant interviews, 6 family interviews, and 2 focus group discussions with 12 unaffected adults. Transcripts were thematically analysed in NVivo, combining deductive and inductive coding to explore lived experiences, stigma, and coping strategies. RESULTS: F…

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Lived experience of depression in women living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus in Gondar City health facilities, Northwest, Ethiopia: A phenomenological study.

Background: Many women living with HIV (WLHIV) in worldwide experience mental health conditions, particularly depression, which can negatively affect their overall wellbeing. Their lived experiences play a crucial WLHIV has been explored in various global context, there is limited research focusing on the specific women's lived experience of depression in Ethiopia. Understanding these experience is essential to inform the development of culturally appropriate and targeted mental health interventions and support system. Method: A qualitative phenomenological design was employed to explore women's lived experience of depression in Ethiopia. Criterion-based sampling was used, and recruitment continued until data saturation was achieved. Data were collected through in-depth face to face interviews with 16 participants attending health facilities. An inductive approach was used for analysis, …

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'I have a child i need to live for': a qualitative study of parenthood and the TB experience in South Africa.

Existing research highlights TB's economic and social stigma burdens and impacts behavior in households, but virtually unexplored is the dynamics of TB and parenthood. This qualitative study examines the interplay between TB diagnosis and treatment, and parenting experiences, focusing on the intersections of individual agency, societal expectations, and access to resources. From March 2021 to January 2022, we conducted in-depth interviews with 98 TB patients in Buffalo City, South Africa, including 44 mothers and 54 fathers. Guided by the Network-Individual-Resource (NIR) model, we applied layered coding, memoing, and causal mapping to analyze experiences through the lens of agency and societal expectations. Mothers reported primary caregiving responsibilities, drawing motivation from their children, and relying on multigenerational family support for childcare and treatment-adherence. C…

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Latinx adolescent parents' experiences with stigma and their school-related outcomes: Examining the moderating effects of social support and ethnic-racial identity.

Adolescent parents are at risk for poorer school-related outcomes relative to their non-parenting peers. In part, poorer academic outcomes may reflect adolescents' need to balance multiple roles within systems that are unaccommodating to their unique needs. Concomitantly, adolescent parents hold cultural and familial assets that can help them achieve positive school-related outcomes (i.e., school belonging, aspirations, and expectations) despite experiences of marginalization. The current study explores the relationship between adolescent parents' reports of stigma (e.g., negative treatment due to their parenting status) and their school-related outcomes; it will also test whether social support and ethnic-racial identity (ERI) serve as protective factors in these associations. To address our study goals, we employed cross-sectional data from a sample of adolescents who were parents or e…

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Barriers to postpartum health and opinions on a postpartum peer navigator program amongst refugee women resettled in California.

Background: The aim of this study is to identify postpartum challenges and assess for interest in a postpartum peer navigator program amongst refugee women resettled in California. Methods: Participants were recruited through ethnic community-based organizations in California using convenience and snowball sampling. Arabic, Dari, or Pashto speaking women who have given birth in the United States within the last five years and entered the country as refugees, special immigrant visa holders, or asylum seekers were eligible to participate. Semi-structured interviews were analyzed using Braun and Clarke's thematic analysis. Results: We interviewed 26 participants. The mean age was 30 years (SD = 6.3) and mean length of time in the United States was 4.5 years (SD = 3.0). All participants are state insurance recipients. Most participants (89%, n = 23) utilize an interpreter. We identified seve…

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"It Took Me on a Journey Other Than Just to Stop Smoking": Pilot Trial Outcomes of an Empowerment Theory-Based Smoking Cessation Intervention for Sexual and/or Gender Minoritized People in Oklahoma.

Introduction: Sexual and/or gender-minoritized (SGM) people are more likely to smoke if they live where SGM stigma is high, and existing SGM-tailored cessation interventions do not address the unique challenges of these environments. This paper reports outcomes from a single-arm pilot trial of an Empowerment Theory (ET)-based smoking cessation intervention for SGM people living in high-stigma environments. Methods: SGM adults willing to quit smoking (N = 20; Oklahoma) participated in a 12-week intervention comprised of online SGM-serving volunteer activity sessions concurrent with remotely delivered smoking cessation support (ie, behavioral support plus combination nicotine replacement therapy [NRT]). Baseline and exit surveys and in-depth exit interviews addressed retention, acceptability, engagement, and adherence. Results: Study retention was 80.0% (16/20). Most exit survey respondent…

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Religion, Faith, and Spirituality as Barriers and Facilitators to Antiretroviral Therapy Initiation Among People with HIV in Indonesia.

Indonesia is a country deeply rooted in religion, faith, and spirituality. These aspects significantly determine individuals' decision-making and behavior, including health care decisions. Given the suboptimal attainment of the HIV-cascade targets in the country, we conducted a study to explore the role of religion, faith, and spirituality on antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation. Our study involved individual interviews with 67 participants recruited from community health centers, public hospitals, and private clinics, predominantly Muslim, including 17 untreated people with HIV (ART-naïve), 30 people with HIV on treatment (ART-experienced), and 20 HIV service providers. Findings revealed that many individuals perceived HIV as a godly punishment related to individual failure (prior risk-prone behaviors), generating shame, guilt, and stigma. Perceiving religion as punitive and unforgiv…

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Social determinants for understanding Muslims' intentions toward seeking mental health help based on the Theory of Planned Behavior.

Background: Many have found that minorities seek help for mental health problems less than the general population. Such findings are surprising considering that minorities experience higher rates of mental health issues compared to the general population. Objectives: Employing the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), this study aimed to explore the intentions of Muslims living in California and Israel pertaining seeking mental health help (SMHH). Method and design: A qualitative approach involving semi-structured interviews guided by TPB principles was conducted with 78 participants. Thematic analysis was implemented to identify key themes. Results: Five major themes were identified: 1 - Attitudes: Normalization of SMHH entangled with fear; causes and attributions of mental health disorders; perspectives on treatment. 2 - Subjective norms: Support groups; stigma and social norms. 3 - Percei…

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Concealment of Parkinsons disease prevalence and impact on health and quality of life.

Concealment of diagnosis in chronic conditions has proven benefits as a coping strategy to avoid stigmatization and discrimination and allows people to be treated "normally" by society. However, concealment is related to negative health, physical, quality of life outcomes, exhaustion and loneliness. In addition, diagnosis concealment has a detrimental impact on self-management behaviors. In Parkinson's disease (PD), information regarding the aspects related to concealment is limited. A better understanding of the contributors and consequences of concealment in PD may facilitate the development of strategies to support patients who conceal. We conducted a cross-sectional study to explore concealment in PD by examining rates of diagnosis concealment and associations of concealment with socio-demographic factors, self-management behaviors, stigma, social support, and quality of life. The st…

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Education as a predictor of mental illness familiarity and attitudes in a Muslim community.

Background: Mental illness is a leading cause of disability in South Africa, where stigma, educational disparities, and cultural beliefs are critical barriers to care. Research has largely overlooked the South African Muslim community, particularly regarding how education influences mental illness familiarity and attitudes within a context where spiritual interpretations may uniquely shape stigma. This study investigated the association between level of education and mental illness familiarity and attitudes toward people with mental illness among South African Muslims. Methods: Using a cross-sectional study design, we recruited 119 South African Muslim adults (81.5% female; mean age = 30.92, SD = 13.01) using purposive snowball sampling, identifying initial participants through Muslim community groups and social media platforms. Eligibility was open to adults (18+) who identified as Musl…

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Resettlement Workforce Perspectives on Mental Health Care of Refugees.

Background: To identify the mental health care needs of resettled refugees, researchers have studied the perspectives of mental health service providers but have paid limited attention to the perspectives of individuals who work directly in resettlement agencies or in agencies that exclusively provide services to promote refugees' self-sufficiency and integration-the refugee resettlement workforce-who routinely provide support, make referrals, and coordinate mental health care. To better inform programming and service delivery, this qualitative case study focuses on the perspectives of the resettlement workforce. Methods: Focus group interviews conducted with 48 refugee resettlement workforce members were analyzed for their perspectives on refugee mental health needs and care. Results: Thematic analysis revealed that their perspectives centered on barriers to (i.e., resettlement challeng…

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Religious-Tailoring of Mental Health Services in Ontario: A Qualitative Study Exploring Service User and Provider Recommendations.

Aims: This study aimed to explore the experiences of Muslim mental health service users and providers in Ontario, Canada. With a focus on understanding mental health service barriers and facilitators, the research also sought to identify service user and provider recommendations and highlight the capacity for addressing gaps within service utilization and delivery by adopting religious tailoring with the Muslim community. This was carried out through a CBPAR approach to conduct diverse focus groups with Muslim service users and service providers across Ontario, Canada. The results indicate mistrust towards Eurocentric models, cultural stigma, and insufficient provision of religiously and culturally congruent care significantly hinder engagement. Nevertheless, religious tailoring-incorporating elements such as Imams, faith-based counseling, and community-based interventions-emerges as an …

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Attitude, Literacy, and Social Stigma Toward Mental Illness Among Islamic Religious Leaders (Imams) in Bangladesh: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: More than 90% of people in Bangladesh are Muslims and a good portion of persons with mental illness visit religious leaders in the country. Attitude, literacy, and stigma toward mental illness affect the referral of persons with mental illness to mental health systems. Objectives: We aimed to see attitudes, literacy, and social stigma toward mental illness among Islamic religious leaders in Bangladesh. Methods: Data were collected for this cross-sectional study by a self-reporting semi-structured questionnaire from 358 Imams by convenience sampling from September 2024 to January 2025. Results: The mean age of the participants was 31.7 years. The majority of the participants were aged 30 years or younger (54.5%), were married (68.4%), maulanas (59.8%), and 8.1% had a history of psychiatric illness. Mental illness was perceived as highly biological, influenced by sinful acts an…

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Muslim considerations in seeking mental health help in California and Israel: a qualitative approach.

Background: Existing evidence indicates that Muslim minorities underutilize mental health services despite a pressing need. Employing the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), this study seeks to explore considerations that influence mental health help-seeking by Muslims residing in California and Israel. Methods: A qualitative approach involving semi-structured interviews guided by the TPB principles was implemented with 78 Muslim participants. Thematic analysis was conducted to identify key themes. Results: Employing both deductive and inductive approaches, four major themes were identified: attitudes (advantages, disadvantages, and the influence of religiosity), subjective norms (the impact of significant others), perceived behavioral control (facilitators and challenges), and intentions toward seeking mental health support (influenced by gender, and prior experience). Common social and c…

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An Intersectional Approach to Understanding Beliefs and Attitudes Toward Mental Health Issues Among Muslim Immigrant Women in Canada.

Although addressing cultural and religious practices is important in providing mental health care, little research exists on understanding mental health issues of minority groups such as Muslim immigrant women. We employed an intersectional approach to examine beliefs and attitudes toward mental health issues among Muslim immigrant women in Canada. Four focus groups (21 participants) were conducted, and 101 surveys were collected in Ottawa, Canada. Three core themes emerged from thematic content analysis of focus group data that relate to participants' communication about: 1) stressors, 2) mental health care seeking, and 3) utilizing coping strategies. The survey data were analyzed using independent samples t-test and One-Way ANOVA, the results of which supported the qualitative findings that social stigma was an important obstacle preventing those women from seeking professional mental …

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Labels Are For Soup Cans: How Self-Labeling as "Addicted" to Pornography Is Associated with Negative Outcomes.

Pornography viewers often report being addicted to pornography even if their behavior does not indicate such addiction. In this study with 1099 participants (52% male), we explored how the specific belief in being addicted to pornography could predict both individual and relational outcomes beyond actual pornography use and reported compulsive pornography use (i.e., considering one's use to be out of control). Using a structural equation model, our results showed that higher agreement with the pornography addiction label, without accounting for compulsivity, was associated with higher depression, suicide ideation, communication discomfort about pornography, and higher odds of having a relationship end solely because of pornography. After accounting for compulsivity, higher agreement with the pornography addiction label was only associated with higher communication discomfort about pornog…

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Mental health help-seeking in China.

Background: In China, mental health disorders are considered the leading causes of disability, yet treatment-seeking behaviors among individuals with mental health problems are deficient. Aims: This study sought to examine attitudes and participant characteristics associated with help-seeking among adults residing in China's Shanghai metropolitan area. Methods: This study employed a convenience cross-sectional sampling strategy and recruited 500 participants in public places in Shanghai. The survey administered in Mandarin was comprised of two sections: a series of demographic questions and standardized instruments measuring stigma and help-seeking attitudes. Results: Findings indicate that beliefs about seeking professional help for mental health are influenced by knowing someone with a mental health problem. In addition, men who were older, had a child, and were married endorsed more o…

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The Role of Black Churches in Promoting Mental Health for Communities of Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Black Americans.

Objective: Churches in socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods serve as safe havens in many Black communities. Churches provide faith and charitable services but often have limited resources to address the mental health needs of their communities. This article reports on a collaborative effort, driven by members of a Black church, to understand mental health needs, coping strategies, and resilience factors in a community of socioeconomically disadvantaged Black Americans. Methods: A community-based participatory research effort was established among a church, a community mental health organization, clinicians, and researchers to interview and survey individuals residing near the church. Results: The sample consisted of 59 adults, most of whom were ages 46-65 years, men (N=34, 58%), and unemployed (N=46, 78%). Mean scores on the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (9.2±7.7) and Generaliz…

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'The tablets make a certain noise': uncovering barriers and enablers related to providing PMTCT services to adolescents and young women living with HIV in Zimbabwe.

Background: Zimbabwe antenatal HIV prevalence rate is 16.1%. HIV-positive pregnant adolescent girls and young women (AYW) are at high risk to experience perinatal mental health challenges, attributed to a combination of factors including HIV status, stigma and perinatal depression. Perinatal depression and stigma among AYW is understudied in Zimbabwe and may affect short- and long-term health of HIV positive mothers and their children, and can impact treatment adherence. Methods: Qualitative data was gathered from four focus group discussions with (2 urban and 2 rural) PMTCT providers (N = 17). Focus group discussions were also conducted among AYW clients (N = 20) from two clinics in Mashonaland East. Results: Qualitative analyses identified patterns related to: (1) drop out and loss to follow up, (2) retention and adherence, (3) recurring feelings of internalized stigma; and (4) accepta…

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Examining recovery and mental health service satisfaction among young immigrant Muslim women with mental distress in Quebec.

Objective: The overall aim of this study was to understand the experiences and perspectives of immigrant Muslim women in Quebec living with mental illness, who have recently used formal mental health services such as an accredited therapist, psychologist, or clinician. Specific objectives included (i) eliciting and examining their self-identified barriers and facilitators to recovery; (ii) exploring links between religion and mental health; and (iii) self-reported satisfaction with mental health services received. Methods: We adopted a qualitative approach, facilitating the prioritization of participant perspectives. This involved semi-structured interviews with 20 women who (i) identified as Muslim; (ii) had used mental health services in the last three years; and (iii) were 18 + years of age. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed using thematic analysis techniques. Results: Three pr…

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Addressing Mental Health Through Community Partnerships in a Muslim Community.

The mental health of American Muslims remains significantly understudied and unaddressed, despite known obstacles to Muslims' utilization of mental health services, such as stigma and institutional mistrust. Since the inception of the Stanford Muslim Mental Health and Islamic Psychology Lab in 2014, partnerships across the Bay Area were formed among key Muslim community establishments to address obstacles to good mental health. Through a community-centered approach, diverse stakeholders engaged to identify and address the community's most pressing mental health challenges. Successful outcomes of this approach include facilitated research and mental health initiatives to support the Bay Area Muslim community.

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The impact of religiousness and beliefs about mental illness on help-seeking behaviors of Muslim Americans.

Background: In addition to the typical challenges of daily life, Muslim Americans have experienced high levels of stress and clinical disorders relating to discrimination from the 9/11 attacks and ongoing political stigma. Despite mounting mental health concerns, Muslim Americans have encountered multifaceted barriers to accessing mental health services and remain underserved. Aims: This study sought to explore the relationship between religiousness and beliefs about mental illness among Muslim Americans to predict their clinical help-seeking attitudes. Materials and methods: The present study gathered a nationwide sample of Muslim Americans through online data collection to assess how the relationship between religiousness and help-seeking was mediated by acculturation and biomedical beliefs about mental illness. Results: Analyses found that Islamic religiousness and biomedical beliefs …

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Anticipated Sexual Minority Stress and Mental Health after the 2016 Presidential Election: Examining a Psychological Mediation Framework.

Sexual minorities are at an increased risk for psychopathology, compared to heterosexual counterparts, in part due to stressors unique to their sexual minority identity. The greater socio-political climate may exacerbate sexual minority stress, and the context of the 2016 United States presidential election infringed upon the rights and well-being of LGBQ individuals. In our sample of sexual minorities (n = 253), we examined the association between anticipated stigma in response to the 2016 presidential election and symptoms of anxiety and depression, and the potential mediating role of self-compassion, hopelessness and social support. Greater anticipated stigma was associated with less self-compassion, less perceived social support, and greater hopelessness, and, in turn, greater symptoms of anxiety and depression. Anticipated stigma may erode feelings of environmental support and may b…

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Suicide literacy mediates the path from religiosity to suicide stigma among Muslim community adults: Cross-sectional data from four Arab countries.

Background: The majority of research attention has been devoted to the link between religiosity and suicide risk, and a considerable amount of studies has been carried out on how stigma impacts individuals with mental health problems of different kinds. However, the interplay between religiosity, suicide literacy and suicide stigma has seldom been empirically researched, especially quantitatively. We sought through this study to redress the imbalance of research attention by examining the relationship between religiosity and suicide stigma; and the indirect and moderating effects of suicide literacy on this relationship. Method: A cross-sectional web-based survey was conducted among Arab-Muslim adults originating from four Arab countries (Egypt: N = 1029, Kuwait: N = 2182, Lebanon N = 781, Tunisia N = 2343; Total sample: N = 6335). The outcome measures included the Arabic Religiosity Sca…

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