People with mental illness face stigma and discrimination in a variety of settings which can have an economic impact.
Aim: The aim of this paper was to identify literature on the economic impact of mental illness stigma.
Methods: A systematic review of the literature identified 30 papers from 27 studies by searching electronic databases and hand searching reference lists.
Results: Mental illness stigma/discrimination was found to impact negatively on employment, income, public views about resource allocation and healthcare costs.
Conclusions: Stigma and discrimination regarding mental health problems lead to adverse economic effects for people with these conditions. Interventions that reduce stigma may therefore also be economically beneficial.