Ahmedani, Brian K.Kubiak, S.P.Kessler, Ronald C.de Graaf, RonAlonso Caballero, JordiBruffaerts, RonnyZarkov, ZahariViana, Maria CarmenHuang, Y. Q.Hu, ChiyiPosada Villa, JoséLepine, Jean-PierreAngermeyer, Matthias C.Girolamo, Giovanni deKaram, A. M.Medina Mora, Maria ElenaGureje, OyeFerry, F.Sagar, R.Anthony, James C.2019-02-062019-02-062013Ahmedani BK, Kubiak SP, Kessler RC, de Graaf R, Alonso J, Bruffaerts R et al. Embarrassment when illness strikes a close relative: a World Mental Health Survey Consortium Multi-Site Study. Psychol Med. 2013;43(10):2191-202. DOI: 10.1017/S003329171200298X0033-2917http://hdl.handle.net/10230/36515Background: In this global study we sought to estimate the degree to which a family member might feel embarrassed when a close relative is suffering from an alcohol, drug, or mental health condition (ADMC) versus a general medical condition (GMC). To date, most studies have considered embarrassment and stigma in society and internalized by the afflicted individual but have not assessed family embarrassment in a large-scale study. Method: In 16 sites of the World Mental Health Surveys (WMHS), standardized assessments were completed including items on family embarrassment. Site matching was used to constrain local socially shared determinants of stigma-related feelings, enabling a conditional logistic regression model that estimates the embarrassment close relatives may hold in relation to family members affected by an ADMC, a GMC, or both conditions. Results: There was a statistically robust association such that subgroups with an ADMC-affected relative were more likely to feel embarrassed compared to subgroups with a relative affected by a GMC (p < 0.001), even with covariate adjustments for age and sex. Conclusions: The pattern of evidence from this research is consistent with conceptual models for interventions that target individual- and family-level stigma-related feelings of embarrassment as possible obstacles to effective early intervention and treatment for an ADMC. Macro-level interventions are under way but micro-level interventions may also be required among family members, along with care for each person with an ADMC.application/pdfeng© Cambridge University Press. The published version of the article: Ahmedani BK, Kubiak SP, Kessler RC, de Graaf R, Alonso J, Bruffaerts R, Zarkov Z, Viana MC, Huang YQ, Hu C, Posada-Villa JA, Lepine JP, Angermeyer MC, de Girolamo G, Karam AN, Medina-Mora ME, Gureje O, Ferry F, Sagar R, Anthony JC. Embarrassment when illness strikes a close relative: a World Mental Health Survey Consortium Multi-Site Study. Psychol Med. 2013; 43(10):2191-202. DOI 10.1017/S003329171200298X is available at https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/psychological-medicine.info:eu-repo/semantics/articlehttp://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S003329171200298XFamily embarrassmentPsychiatric conditionsStigmaWorld Mental Health Surveysinfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess