Belief in the harmfulness of antidepressants: Results from a national survey of the Australian public

Abstract

Background: Surveys of the public in several countries have found that negative attitudes towards antidepressants are common. However, there has been little research into the factors associated with these attitudes. Methods: A national survey of 999 Australian adults assessed beliefs about the helpfulness or harmfulness of antidepressants for a person with depression and suicidal thoughts. Associated factors investigated were as follows: sociodemographic characteristics, exposure to depression, ability to recognize depression, beliefs about other depression interventions, beliefs about long-term outcomes with and without treatment, beliefs about causes, and stigmatizing attitudes. Results: A..