Solutions to discrimination in work and housing identified by people with mental illness

Several studies have examined the breadth and depth of the impact of the stigma and discrimination associated with mental illness. This study examines perceived solutions to discrimination in housing and employment situations. We expected identification of solutions to be positively associated with disease insight and personal empowerment. One hundred people with serious mental illness completed measures of perceived solutions to discrimination exhibited by an employer or a landlord. They also completed measures of empowerment and insight. Results showed high frequency solutions included looking for a job or apartment elsewhere, or seeking help from family and friends. Insight was significantly associated with number of endorsed solutions, while the interaction between insight and empowerment described a nonsignificant trend. Implications of these findings for stigma change are discussed.