NUR4165 Research Project Reflection Paper
Name
Professor
Course
School
Date
NUR4165 Research Project Reflection Paper
Background of the Problem
Mental health challenges continue to be the subjects of stigma and miscomprehension,
which hinder the problem of delivering useful treatment and support. The chronic stigma of
mental health keeps on being a daunting issue, killing the lives of people throughout the U.S.A.,
Florida and Broward County (Lamb & Weinberger, 2020). Although there has been progress in
the field of mental health awareness, people continue to hold wrongful views and negative
attitudes in their minds, which ultimately prevents the treatment and psychological support to
obtain the much-deserved care and support. Studies have revealed that a vast amount of people
across the population also have negative beliefs about mental illnesses, which lead to
discriminatory behavior and social rejection (Lamb & Weinberger, 2020). Among the Florida
towns with various demographics that cross over, the ramifications of stigmatization on mental
health outcomes could be more severe than in other settings, where disadvantaged communities
combat even more adversity. The healthcare stigma in Broward County could accurately portray
societal trends regarding individuals' reduced access to care and well-being (Lamb &
Weinberger, 2020). This is a shocking predicament that reveals the inner workings related to the
disparaging behavior pattern of mental health stigma and its consequences on both the
individuals and the communities.
Purpose Statement
This study aimed to explore the occurrence and implications of stigmatization based on
mental health among the entire US, the county of Florida, and the board county of Broward, FL.
The stigma around mental health is a major hurdle for patients in need of either treatment or
support in the search for assistance to cope with mental disorders (Polit & Beck, 2021). Although
press for making people understand the difference and accept it, stigma still exists as if it is a
bloodline, and people might not be judged for what they are until prejudice is overcome once and
for all. It is indispensable to discover the subtleties of mental health stigma across different
temperatures and territories for designing appropriate methods of combating it. Understanding
the particular circumstances and cultural traditions that impinge on stigma from other
communities is necessary for establishing inclusive and supportive places. The whole point of
this research is to increase awareness of the importance of eliminating the stigma surrounding
mental health so we can advance advocacy efforts that will bring about a positive change in the
system that will promote mental health and good living.
Reflection
As I plugged into this research project, I found myself fully engaged in the immanent
world, which revealed the paradoxes of the mental health stigma. From the interactions with the
research participants, we received invaluable insights into the living reality of those dealing with
stigma, confirming the marketing program's vital role in combatting stigma and sharing their
stories with raw emotions, they delivered an extremely vivid image of the immediate need to
tackle stigma and quantified the importance of our research. My engagement in this research task
was not an end alone, but it also demonstrated the straightened link between educational goals
and my service exposure. Through experiential learning, I could build the theoretical knowledge
I gained in the classroom by applying it to the real world I experienced. The hands-on nature of
the activity enhanced my ability to understand the research process and grasp the applicability of
the subjects we were studying in college to real-life problems.
Moreover, I experienced strong emotions, especially when I was engaged in solving this
pressing issue, and I felt more responsible for the community. It blends well with my desire to
foster civic consciousness. This project allowed me to prove my dedication to the academic field
and the opportunity to wield power in my community, which I am particularly proud of. It is a
big direction in my educational path.
References
Polit, D. F., & Beck, C. T. (2021). Essentials of Nursing Research: Appraising Evidence for
Nursing Practice (10th ed.). Wolters Kluwer.
Lamb, H. R., & Weinberger, L. E. (2020). Deinstitutionalization and other factors in the
criminalization of persons with serious mental illness and how it is being addressed. CNS
spectrums, 25(2), 173-180.
