Stigmatization is a social phenomenon that adversely affects not only access to care but also the quality of medical services. In the medical context, stigma occurs when patients – or even healthcare professionals – are treated differently, with prejudice or a lack of empathy, due to certain traits, conditions, or social affiliations.
Stigma surrounding depression continues to be a major barrier to treatment, social inclusion, and recovery. While general attitudes toward mental illness have been widely studied, fewer investigations have focused on the specific beliefs that drive stigma toward individuals with depression in a low- and middle-income country (LMIC) in Eastern European settings, particularly in Moldova.