Twelve-month Outcomes of a Mental Illness Destigmatizing Theatrical Intervention in Rural Uganda

Abstract

Purpose Evaluate the long-term effectiveness of a community-led theatrical intervention in reducing mental health stigma in a low-income setting in Uganda. Methods A follow-up survey of study participants was conducted 12 months after the initial community-led theatrical intervention measuring the primary outcomes of mental illness stigma using the Broad Acceptance Scale (BAS) and the Personal Acceptance Scale (PAS). Results Of the initial 57 participants, 46 (80%) completed the follow-up survey. The average improvement in Broad Acceptance Scale and Personal Acceptance Score observed from baseline to twelve months after the intervention was 1.435 (95% CI: 0.826–2.044, p < 0.0001, SD: 1.64) and 2.152 (95% CI: 1.444–2.860, p < 0.0001, SD: 1.93), respectively. Both effect sizes were within the confidence intervals of the average improvement observed one week after the intervention. Conclusion Exposure to the community-led theatrical intervention continued to confer a significant and substantial reduction in mental illness stigma.