Belief in the harmfulness of antidepressants: Associated factors and change over 16 years

Abstract

Background: Negative views of psychiatric medications are a common in many countries and efforts have been made to improve these. Relatively little is known of the changes in beliefs about harmfulness of antidepressant medications. Methods: A 2011 national survey of 2024 Australian adults assessed beliefs about the helpfulness or harmfulness of antidepressants for a person who is depressed or depressed/suicidal and the associations with sociodemographic characteristics, exposure to depression, recognition of depression, and beliefs about other interventions, long-term outcomes, causes, and stigmatising attitudes. Changes in attitudes since previous surveys (conducted in 1995 and 2003/2004) w..