Stigma: The Perspective of Workers on Community Mental Health Services—Brazil

In this study, we have surveyed how professionals from multidisciplinary teams at psychosocial care centers (CAPS), in the city of São Paulo, understand the concept of mental illness stigma. The aim of the survey was to characterize the actions developed by the team to overcome stigma and, thus, contribute to develop strategies that incorporate overcoming stigma in the territory. Our objective is to get acquainted to the concepts about stigma shared by the participants. This survey was based on the theory of stigma by Erving Goffman; data were collected through semi-structured interviews with mental health professionals belonging to the CAPS teams. Results indicate that social exclusion is understood as a synonym to stigma, and that proximity of CAPS to society in the territory facilitates social inclusion and the overcoming of the mental illness stigma.