1 July 2018 — 30 June 2023

The National Stigma Report Card is a world-leading study into how stigma and discrimination affect people living with complex mental health issues.

This is our flagship project, and is conducted in partnership with the Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences at the University of Melbourne, with the support of the Paul Ramsay Foundation.

The National Stigma Report Card findings strongly reinforce the importance of organisations and individuals continuing to collaborate to build an Australia – and a world – free from stigma and discrimination.

Explore the findings

The National Stigma Report Card findings were launched on 12 October 2020.

The launch webinar featured insights and reflections on the research from:

• people with lived experience of complex mental health issues
• researchers
• others committed to reducing stigma and discrimination and improving the lives of all Australians living with complex mental health issues.

You can return to watch this recording of the webinar at any time.

Our Turn to Speak

A national survey, Our Turn to Speak, was launched to understand people’s experiences and what needs to change to ensure all Australians live long and fulfilling lives, free from stigma and discrimination.

The survey, one of the first to look so comprehensively at this issue in Australia, explored how stigma and discrimination affects people with complex mental health issues across many aspects of their lives. 

For many people, participating in the survey represented the first time they have had the opportunity to reflect on and share their experiences in such a holistic way.

The Our Turn to Speak survey ran between October 2019 and March 2020, during which period 1,912 people from across Australia took part online, over the phone or in person.

Through the survey, people living with complex mental health issues shared their experiences of how stigma and discrimination affect 14 aspects of their everyday lives:

• Relationships
• Employment
• Healthcare services
• Social media
• Mental healthcare services
• Mass media
• Welfare and social services
• Education and training
• Financial and insurance services
• Housing and homelessness services
• Cultural, faith or spiritual practices and communities
• Sports, community groups and volunteering
• Public and recreational spaces
• Legal and justice services

The survey was open to any adult living in Australia who had experienced at least one of the following complex mental health issues in the previous 12 months:

• schizophrenia spectrum disorders
  (such as schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder or schizophreniform disorder)
• bipolar and related disorders
• personality disorders
  (such as but not limited to borderline personality disorder)
• obsessive-compulsive and related disorders
  (such as OCD, body-dysmorphic disorder, excoriation disorder, trichotillomania or hoarding disorder)
• post-traumatic stress disorder
• dissociative disorders
• eating disorders
  (such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder, and binge-eating disorder)
• severe and treatment-resistant depression and anxiety requiring multi-agency support.

The findings of the survey are presented in the National Stigma Report Card. It draws on the insights from the almost 2,000 people who participated in survey.

Overall, the findings speak to a pervasive pattern of stigma and discrimination that negatively affects the lives of Australians living with complex mental health issues.

Team members

• Dr Michelle Blanchard
  Deputy CEO, SANE Australia and Director, Anne Deveson Research Centre
• Dr Christopher Groot
  Research Lead
• Dr Imogen Rehm
  Research Fellow
• Dr Cal Andrews
  Research Fellow
• Beth Hobern
  PhD Candidate and Research Assistant
• Elise Carrotte 
  PhD Candidate and Senior Research and Evaluation Coordinator 
• Lisa Sweeney
  Head of Policy and Advocacy
• Rikki Morgan
  Communications Specialist – Research and Advocacy
• Hannah Green
  Communications Specialist – Research and Advocacy
• Ali Glynn
  Project Support Officer

More information

Visit nationalstigmareportcard.com.au to explore the findings and for more information about the National Stigma Report Card.

With the spread of the internet and the decline in use of traditional media such as newspaper and radio, podcasts have exploded in popularity over the last few years.

The aim of this PhD study is to identify whether listening to a podcast can reduce stigmatising attitudes towards people living with complex mental health issues.

This project began in June 2020.

The study is funded by the National Stigma Report Card project, which is led by SANE Australia in partnership with the Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences with the support of the Paul Ramsay Foundation.

Study 1: Podcasts and Mental Health Survey

The aim of this survey was to understand the behaviours, attitudes and preferences of podcast listeners regarding different types of podcasts, including podcasts on the topic of mental health. It was also designed to understand the relationship between listening to podcasts and different aspects of mental health.

This study is now complete. Read a summary of the findings here.

Study 2: Co-Design and Anti-Stigma Podcast Research (CASPR) Study

The aim of this co-design study was to bring key target audience members together to inform the development of a new podcast. This new podcast aims to reduce stigmatising attitudes towards people living with complex mental health issues.

The study is now complete. Read a summary of the findings here.

Expected Outcomes

This study will generate new information about how podcasts can be used for stigma reduction initiatives.

Results will be published in a PhD thesis and may also be published in a peer-reviewed journal or presented at a conference.

Team Members

• Elise Carrotte
  PhD Candidate, University of Melbourne
  Senior Research and Evaluation Coordinator, SANE Australia
• Professor Lisa Phillips
  Primary Supervisor
  Director Professional Programs, Associate Head of School, Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne
• Dr Michelle Blanchard
  Former Deputy CEO, SANE Australia and Director, Anne Deveson Research Centre
  Special Adviser, National Mental Health Commission
  Honorary Senior Fellow, Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne
• Dr Christopher Groot
  Research Lead, National Stigma Report Card
  Director, Telehealth and Stigma Lab – Brain and Mental Health Hub, Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne
• Dr Fincina Hopgood
  Lecturer in Screen Studies - Faculty of Humanities, Arts, Social Sciences and Education; School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences, University of New England

Further information

Contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more information about the project.

People who live with schizophrenia spectrum disorders and alcohol and other drug (AOD) use disorders experience high rates of stigma and discriminations across a range of life domains.

Although these disorders have been shown to frequently co-occur, little is known about how experiences of stigma and discrimination differ between people who live with single vs dual diagnoses of each.

The research

The aim of this PhD is to compare how Australians living with schizophrenia spectrum disorders – both with and without co-occurring AOD use disorders – experience stigma and discrimination in their relationships, and how these experiences are informed by public stereotypes.

A series of surveys involving both people who have lived experience of these mental health issues and members of the general public will be conducted to explore these questions.

This PhD began in June 2020 as part of the National Stigma Report Card project, which is led by SANE Australia in partnership with the Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, with the support of the Paul Ramsay Foundation.

Expected Outcomes

The findings of this PhD will support efforts to better understand the experiences of people living with dual diagnoses of schizophrenia spectrum and AOD use disorders, as well as helping to inform related stigma reduction efforts.

Team Members

• Beth Hobern
  PhD Student, University of Melbourne
  Research Assistant, Telehealth and Stigma Lab – Brain and Mental Health Hub, Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne
• Dr Michelle Blanchard
  Former Deputy CEO, SANE Australia and Director, Anne Deveson Research Centre
  Special Adviser, National Mental Health Commission
  Honorary Senior Fellow, Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne
• Dr Christopher Groot
  Research Lead, National Stigma Report Card
  Director, Telehealth and Stigma Lab – Brain and Mental Health Hub, Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne
• Dr Imogen Rehm
  Research Fellow, National Stigma Report Card
  Honorary Fellow, Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne