1745 adults were questioned for the research earlier this year. Key points from the report, which suggests that people appear to be becoming more tolerant overall on these issues, include those discussed below:
- The proportion of respondents who agreed that ‘Locating mental health facilities in a residential neighbourhood downgrades the neighbourhood’ reduced from 21 per cent in 2009 to 18 per cent.
- 87 per cent disagreed that increasing investment on mental health services represented a waste of resources, 4 per cent more than last year.
- 84 per cent endorsed the statement that ‘No one has the right to exclude people with mental illness from their neighbourhood’, 5 per cent higher than 2009.
- However 33 per cent regarded mental health hospitals as an ‘outdated means’ of providing treatment, four per cent less than the previous year and nine per cent lower than the first survey undertaken in 1994.
- Only 16 per cent of people were aware that the prevalence of mental health conditions is one in four people over the course of their lifetime.
- Around one third stated that they had a close friend with a mental health condition, either presently or in the past.
- 20 per cent of respondents supported the notion that those with history of mental illness should not be permitted to assume public office. This percentage has gradually declined from 29 per cent in 1994.
- 75 per cent of those polled did believe that people with a mental health condition should have the same employment rights as other people.
- 23 per cent feel that ‘sufficient’ mental health services are now provided.
- 48 per cent of respondents felt that the stigma attached to mental health had not reduced in the past year.
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