Background
Methods
Setting and participants
Questionnaire
Characteristic | n | % | Demographic characteristics of parents in Japan (%)* |
---|---|---|---|
Age (years)
| |||
30-39 | 221 | 8.2 | 31.2 |
40-49 | 1,904 | 70.8 | 37.6 |
50-59 | 548 | 20.4 | 14.0 |
60-69 | 17 | 0.6 | 5.5 |
Others | 0 | 0 | 11.7 |
Gender
| |||
Male | 1,381 | 51.3 | |
Female | 1,309 | 48.7 | |
Education
| |||
Junior high school | 25 | 0.9 | 9.7 |
High school | 766 | 28.5 | 55.0 |
Vocational school | 349 | 13.0 | 8.25 |
Junior college | 385 | 14.3 | 8.25 |
University | 1,063 | 39.5 | 17.15 |
Graduate school | 96 | 3.6 | 1.1 |
Others | 6 | 0.2 | 0.55 |
Family structure
| |||
2 parents | 2,092 | 77.8 | 69.0 |
1 parent | 89 | 3.3 | 7.0 |
3 generations | 466 | 17.3 | 19.8 |
Others | 43 | 1.6 | 4.2 |
Family income
| |||
(US dollars) | |||
< 11,000 | 41 | 1.5 | 1.5 |
11,000-32,000 | 196 | 7.3 | 12.8 |
32,000-53,000 | 502 | 18.7 | 21.8 |
53,000-110,000 | 1,465 | 54.5 | 47.6 |
> 110,000 | 486 | 18.0 | 16.3 |
Proximity to person with schizophrenia
| |||
Yes | 88 | 3.3 | |
No | 2,602 | 96.7 | |
Occupation
| |||
Agriculture, forestry and fisheries | 11 | 0.4 | 2.6 |
Production labour service | 631 | 23.5 | 18.8 |
Transportation and communication | 141 | 5.2 | 14.1 |
Sales and marketing | 349 | 13.0 | 32.6 |
Service industry | 340 | 12.6 | 9.4 |
Professionals | 482 | 17.9 | 21.1 |
Others | 160 | 6.0 | 1.2 |
Unemployed | 576 | 21.4 | 0.2 |
Participation in welfare activities for people with mental illness
| |||
Yes | 222 | 8.3 | |
No | 2468 | 91.7 |
Item | Correct answer | "before" ( n = 2,690)
| "after" ( n = 2,465)
|
P
|
---|---|---|---|---|
1. The incidence of schizophrenia is 1 out of 100 individuals. | True | 9.9 | 33.8 | < 0.001 |
2. Junior and senior high school students do not develop schizophrenia. | False | 99.1 | 98.4 | < 0.05 |
3. Schizophrenia is not a mental illness. | False | 93.8 | 90.7 | < 0.001 |
4. Differences in child-rearing methods are not responsible for the onset of the illness. | True | 20.5 | 35.5 | < 0.001 |
5. A person with a mild disposition will not necessarily develop schizophrenia. | True | 29.2 | 34.6 | < 0.001 |
6. Schizophrenia has been proven to be a genetic disease. | False | 97.7 | 97.7 | NS |
7. A person with schizophrenia may have little will power. | False | 97.4 | 96.8 | NS |
8. There is no effective medication for schizophrenia. | False | 94.1 | 95.3 | < 0.05 |
9. It is not possible to recover from schizophrenia, even with treatment. | False | 97.8 | 98.1 | NS |
10. Auditory hallucinations and delusions are not symptoms of schizophrenia. | False | 97.9 | 97.9 | NS |
11. Poor concentration and fatigue are not symptoms of schizophrenia. | False | 98.0 | 98.1 | NS |
12. Social withdrawal is not a symptom of schizophrenia. | False | 92.8 | 95.3 | < 0.001 |
13. The appearance and duration of symptoms can vary among individuals. | True | 65.7 | 61.7 | < 0.05 |
14. All the above items are incorrect. | False | 83.8 | 85.8 | < 0.05 |
Total score | 77.0 | 80.0 | < 0.001 |
Web-based education program
Statistical analysis
Results
Characteristics of respondents
Basic knowledge of schizophrenia
Basic knowledge of schizophrenia | Discrimination between disorders | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Mean ± SD |
P** | Mean ± SD |
P** | |
Age (years)
| 0.019 | 0.050 | ||
30-39 | 0.51 ± 2.03 | 1.48 ± 4.36 | ||
40-49 | 0.36 ± 1.95 | 0.71 ± 4.32 | ||
50-59 | 0.66 ± 1.96 | 1.13 ± 4.45 | ||
60-69 | 0.81 ± 2.20 | 0.81 ± 5.23 | ||
Gender
| 0.001 | 0.156 | ||
Male | 0.57 ± 1.95 | 0.97 ± 4.28 | ||
Female | 0.28 ± 1.97 | 0.72 ± 4.45 | ||
Education
| 0.021 | 0.001 | ||
Junior high school | 1.81 ± 1.40 | 2.33 ± 2.89 | ||
High school | 0.45 ± 1.94 | 1.34 ± 4.26 | ||
Vocational school | 0.41 ± 1.95 | 1.14 ± 4.45 | ||
Junior college | 0.23 ± 1.98 | 0.52 ± 4.44 | ||
University | 0.48 ± 1.98 | 0.64 ± 4.37 | ||
Graduate school | 0.49 ± 2.03 | -0.26 ± 4.26 | ||
Others | 1.00 ± 1.00 | 0.00 ± 4.18 | ||
Family structure
| 0.603 | 0.019 | ||
2 parents | 0.44 ± 1.95 | 0.82 ± 4.35 | ||
1 parent | 0.16 ± 1.87 | 0.40 ± 5.04 | ||
3 generations | 0.50 ± 2.00 | 1.26 ± 4.32 | ||
Others | 0.40 ± 2.25 | -0.69 ± 3.48 | ||
Family income (US dollars)
| 0.154 | 0.003 | ||
< 11,000 | 1.00 ± 2.01 | 0.46 ± 4.88 | ||
11,000-32,000 | 0.67 ± 1.79 | 1.72 ± 4.80 | ||
32,000-53,000 | 0.48 ± 2.01 | 1.28 ± 4.28 | ||
53,000-110,000 | 0.39 ± 1.98 | 0.75 ± 4.23 | ||
> 110,000 | 0.41 ± 1.93 | 0.45 ± 4.51 | ||
Proximity to person with schizophrenia
| 0.056 | 0.004 | ||
Yes | 0.04 ± 2.03 | -0.48 ± 5.01 | ||
No | 0.45 ± 1.96 | 0.91 ± 4.33 | ||
Occupation
| 0.167 | 0.001 | ||
Agriculture, forestry and fisheries | 1.00 ± 1.63 | 3.30 ± 3.77 | ||
Production labour service | 0.6 ± 1.96 | 0.96 ± 4.20 | ||
Transportation and communication | 0.66 ± 2.14 | 1.16 ± 4.22 | ||
Sales and marketing | 0.48 ± 2.02 | 0.94 ± 4.44 | ||
Service industry | 0.41 ± 1.92 | 1.34 ± 4.57 | ||
Professionals | 0.28 ± 1.92 | 0.07 ± 4.41 | ||
Others | 0.56 ± 1.88 | 1.23 ± 3.75 | ||
Unemployed | 0.27 ± 1.97 | 0.84 ± 4.42 | ||
Participation in welfare activities for people with mental illness
| 0.001 | 0.193 | ||
Yes | -0.14 ± 2.02 | 0.48 ± 4.60 | ||
No | 0.49 ± 1.95 | 0.89 ± 4.33 |
Rates of discrimination between disorders
Item | "before" | "after" |
P* |
---|---|---|---|
Discrimination of schizophrenia symptoms | 47 | 61 | < 0.001 |
Discrimination of prodromal symptoms | 30 | 61 | < 0.001 |
Discrimination of other mental illnesses | 65 | 61 | < 0.01 |
Discrimination of physical disorders | 93 | 89 | < 0.001 |
Discrimination of individuals who display unusual or antisocial behaviour | 93 | 88 | < 0.001 |
Discussion
Knowledge of schizophrenia
Discrimination of schizophrenia symptoms
Conclusions
Appendix I: Discrimination of schizophrenia symptoms
Appendix II: Reliability of basic knowledge survey
Characteristic |
n
| % |
---|---|---|
Age (years)
| ||
30-39 | 41 | 5.6 |
40-49 | 541 | 73.6 |
50-59 | 152 | 20.7 |
60-69 | 1 | 0.1 |
Gender
| ||
Male | 389 | 52.9 |
Female | 346 | 47.1 |
Education
| ||
Junior high school | 7 | 1.0 |
High school | 217 | 29.5 |
Vocational school | 97 | 13.2 |
Junior college | 83 | 11.3 |
University | 298 | 40.5 |
Graduate school | 32 | 4.4 |
Others | 1 | 0.1 |
Family structure
| ||
2 parents | 568 | 77.3 |
1 parent | 27 | 3.7 |
3 generations | 129 | 17.6 |
Others | 11 | 1.5 |
Family income (US dollars)
| ||
< 11,000 | 14 | 1.9 |
11,000-32,000 | 58 | 7.9 |
32,000-53,000 | 167 | 22.7 |
53,000-110,000 | 386 | 52.5 |
> 110,000 | 110 | 15.0 |
Proximity to person with schizophrenia
| ||
Yes | 32 | 4.4 |
No | 703 | 95.6 |
Occupation
| ||
Agriculture, forestry and fisheries | 3 | 0.4 |
Production labour service | 175 | 23.8 |
Transportation and communication | 38 | 5.2 |
Sales and marketing | 94 | 12.8 |
Service industry | 108 | 14.7 |
Professionals | 121 | 16.5 |
Others | 37 | 5.0 |
Unemployed | 159 | 21.6 |
Participation in welfare activities for people with mental illness
| ||
Yes | 49 | 6.7 |
No | 686 | 93.3 |
Item | Correct answer | "before" (n = 735) | "after" (n = 628) |
P
|
---|---|---|---|---|
1. The incidence of schizophrenia is 1 out of 100 individuals. | True | 9.7 | 29.9 | < 0.001 |
2. Junior and senior high school students do not develop schizophrenia. | False | 99.0 | 97.5 | NS |
3. Schizophrenia is not a mental illness. | False | 92.7 | 91.6 | NS |
4. Differences in child-rearing methods are not responsible for the onset of the illness. | True | 21.0 | 33.3 | < 0.001 |
5. A person with a mild disposition will not necessarily develop schizophrenia. | True | 24.4 | 28.7 | < 0.05 |
6. Schizophrenia has been proven to be a genetic disease. | False | 98.0 | 98.4 | NS |
7. A person with schizophrenia may have little will power. | False | 97.7 | 97.3 | NS |
8. There is no effective medication for schizophrenia. | False | 95.0 | 96.5 | NS |
9. It is not possible to recover from schizophrenia, even with treatment. | False | 98.1 | 98.4 | NS |
10. Auditory hallucinations and delusions are not symptoms of schizophrenia. | False | 97.4 | 99.2 | < 0.05 |
11. Poor concentration and fatigue are not symptoms of schizophrenia. | False | 98.6 | 98.4 | NS |
12. Social withdrawal is not a symptom of schizophrenia. | False | 93.3 | 93.5 | NS |
13. The appearance and duration of symptoms can vary among individuals. | True | 61.0 | 58.3 | NS |
14. All the above items are incorrect. | False | 81.2 | 83.8 | NS |
Total score | 76.2 | 78.9 | < 0.001 |
Appendix III
Item | "before"
n = 735 | "after"
n = 628 |
P* |
---|---|---|---|
Discrimination of schizophrenia symptoms | 44.8% | 53.3% | < 0.05 |
Discrimination of prodromal symptoms | 26.7% | 36.6% | < 0.001 |
Discrimination of other mental illnesses | 69.6% | 67.9% | NS |
Discrimination of physical disorders | 94.5% | 91.5% | < 0.05 |
Discrimination of individuals who display unusual or antisocial behaviour | 94.0% | 91.5% | NS |