Ethnic and racial differences in the stigma associated with mental
illness in the general population were examined through secondary analysis
of data from a survey of a nationally representative sample (N = 1,468) on
attitudes toward homeless and homeless mentally ill people. American Indian
(1 percent of the sample), Asian-Pacific Islander (1.5 percent), black (10
percent), and Hispanic respondents (4 percent) were compared with white
respondents (82 percent) to determine if the groups differed in their
perception of the dangerousness of mental patients and if contact with
mentally ill persons moderated ethnic and racial differences in perceptions
of dangerousness. Asian and Hispanic respondents perceived mental patients
as significantly more dangerous than did white respondents. Increased
contact with mentally ill people was associated with lower levels of
perceived dangerousness among white respondents but not among black
respondents.
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