Public beliefs about causes and risk factors for mental disorders: Changes in Australia over 8 years

Abstract

Background: Surveys of the public in several countries have found a predominant belief in social environmental causes of mental disorders. The present study was conducted to determine whether this has changed over time in Australia. Method: Beliefs about causes and risk factors were assessed using questions based around case vignettes of a person with depression or schizophrenia. These questions were asked in a national survey of 2,031 Australians aged 18-74 carried out in 1995, and a second survey of 1,823 persons carried out in 2003-2004. Results: The major changes were an in crease in belief in genetic causes of both depression and schizophrenia, increases in beliefs about problems from c..