Degree Name

Occupational Therapy Doctorate

Department

Occupational Therapy

First Advisor

Chen, Szu W

Abstract

Stigma is still a common and often ignored factor that affects health outcomes, especially in mental health care. Stigma is a social problem that affects both caregivers and patients. It is based on deep-seated fears of disease and contagion. Healthcare workers, especially those who work in mental health, are in a unique position to both support and fight these stigmas. Even though this is possible, many healthcare professionals still don't know how much stigma affects patients' experiences and access to care. The goal of this capstone project is to investigate the prevalence of stigma in mental health settings and its implications, with a focus on the healthcare system as a key place where stigma happens. This project aspires to create an educational module and virtual toolkit that will help mental health professionals provide care that is compassionate, knowledgeable, and free of stigma by combining principles of occupational therapy and encouraging collaboration between different fields. The aim of this project is to bring about systemic change and improve the quality of mental health services.

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