Stigma Toward Mental Illness Among Market Traders in Oyo State, South West Nigeria

Social stigma toward mental illness continues to hinder care-seeking and community reintegration for individuals living with psychiatric conditions in Nigeria. This study assesses the nature and degree of stigma toward mental illness among market traders in Oyo State, South West Nigeria, a social group that has received minimal attention in psychiatric research. Using a descriptive cross-sectional survey, 240 traders will be recruited from four major markets in Ibadan through systematic sampling. The Social Distance Scale (SDS) and the Community Attitudes toward Mental Illness (CAMI) questionnaire will be administered in English and Yoruba to assess stigma levels and social exclusion tendencies. Sociodemographic correlates including age, gender, education, religion, and prior contact with persons with mental illness will be examined using chi-square tests and logistic regression. Existing studies in South West Nigeria indicate that stigma is frequently rooted in moral and supernatural attributions of mental illness, creating barriers to social support. This study will contribute to the growing body of evidence on community-level stigma in Nigerian markets, which serve as critical social spaces. Findings will inform community sensitization campaigns and public mental health education programs in urban South West Nigeria. Keywords: stigma, mental illness, market traders, Oyo State, community attitudes