Background: Stigmatizing attitudes toward individuals with mental health conditions are common among healthcare professionals in primary healthcare (PHC) settings, posing a major barrier to early diagnosis, appropriate treatment, and recovery. Methods: This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the effectiveness of interventions aimed at reducing mental health-related stigma among PHC professionals (general practitioners, nurses, community health workers, and allied providers). Eligibility was restricted to interventional studies targeting PHC staff; non-clinical populations and students without clinical practice were excluded. Comparators included usual training, waitlist control, or pre–post evaluation. A systematic search of PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science was conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines, and the protocol was registered in PROSPERO (CRD420251074412). Results: Twenty-five studies met the inclusion criteria, of which three contributed to the quantitative synthesis. Interventions included educational, contact-based, and multicomponent approaches. Risk of bias was assessed using tools appropriate to study design. Interventions generally improved knowledge and attitudes and, to a lesser extent, behavioral intentions. Meta-analysis of pre–post changes using the Opening Minds Scale for Health Care Providers (OMS-HC) demonstrated a significant reduction in stigma (MD = −0.27, 95% CI −0.40 to −0.14; p < 0.001; I² = 91%). A difference-in-differences analysis of studies with intervention and control groups confirmed this effect with moderate heterogeneity (MD = −0.18, 95% CI −0.25 to −0.11; p < 0.0001; I² = 50%). Conclusions: Contact-based and multicomponent interventions were associated with stronger and more sustained effects. The main limitations of the evidence were short follow-up periods, reliance on self-reported outcomes, methodological heterogeneity, and the possibility of publication bias. Our findings suggest that reducing stigma among PHC professionals can enhance patient engagement, timely diagnosis, and quality of care in routine clinical practice.

Depression is a leading contributor to the global burden of diseases. Stigma associated with mental illness significantly hinders help-seeking, diagnosis, treatment, and recovery. While research on mental health stigma has expanded over the past two decades, a systematic examination of its evolution, particularly in the context of depression, is almost non-existent. To map and analyze global research on depression stigma, focusing on publication trends, leading contributors, international collaborations, and thematic developments. We analyzed 947 peer-reviewed articles indexed in the Scopus database using bibliometric software in R-studio. Quantitative indicators included annual publication growth, citation analysis, leading countries, institutions, and authors, as well as international collaboration patterns. Additionally, keyword co-occurrence and thematic evolution analyses were conducted to explore conceptual developments within the field. The number of publications steadily increased from 2013 to 2025. The United States, China, the UK, and Canada accounted for the highest research and citation impact, while contributions from low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) remained limited despite these regions carrying most of the global disease burden. Thematic mapping revealed a strong focus on clinical and psychosocial dimensions, with increasing attention to concepts such as resilience, social support, and the mental health effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in recent years. The volume of research on depression stigma has grown, yet significant geographical and conceptual disparities continue to persist. Strengthening collaboration, supporting LMIC research capacity, and integrating stigma reduction into global mental health frameworks are essential to achieving equitable mental health outcomes worldwide.

Background: Stigma remains a major barrier to help-seeking, social inclusion, and equitable access to mental health care for people with depression. The availability of culturally appropriate instruments is essential for monitoring stigma, evaluating anti-stigma interventions, and supporting community-based mental health policies. This study aimed to translate, culturally adapt, and evaluate the psychometric properties of the personal stigma subscale Depression Stigma Scale (DSS) in Kazakh- and Russian-speaking populations. Methods: A cross-sectional validation study was conducted among 1,000 adults in Kazakhstan (500 Russian-speaking and 500 Kazakh-speaking participants). The DSS was translated using a forward-backward translation procedure. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA), Cronbach’s alpha, and McDonald’s omega were used to evaluate construct validity and internal consistency. Results: The adapted versions demonstrated acceptable internal consistency and preliminary evidence of factorial validity. The final Russian version retained eight items (Cronbach’s α = 0.71; McDonald’s ω = 0.71), while the final Kazakh version retained seven items (Cronbach’s α = 0.78; McDonald’s ω = 0.78). EFA supported a predominantly unidimensional factor structure in both language versions after removing items with insufficient factor loadings. The findings are consistent with previous international validation studies reporting cultural variation in the factor structure of the DSS. Conclusion: The Russian and Kazakh versions of the DSS provide reliable and culturally appropriate instruments for assessing personal depression stigma. Beyond psychometric validation, the adapted scale may facilitate monitoring of public attitudes toward depression, evaluation of anti-stigma programmes, and evidence-informed community-based mental health policies in Kazakhstan and other multilingual settings.