California campaign against mental health stigma sees positive results

In an effort to reduce stigma and encourage its residents to seek mental health care, California launched an awareness campaign on social media in 2013 — and a new study finds that the effort did help change attitudes about mental health. A third of the people surveyed for the new study reported being exposed to the campaign and its slogans, and more Latinos and black people said they had seen the campaign than white individuals. Being aware of the campaign also correlated with more positive beliefs about mental health and treatment for it. Based on the data, the authors also predicted that if all Californians with likely mental illness had been exposed to the campaign, nearly half would have sought treatment, whereas the absence of a campaign would have meant only a third would seek treatment.