Objective: To determine which of the two different labels, “ruhsal hastalik” or “akil hastaligi”, used for psychiatric disorders by the public in Turkey is more stigmatizing.

Method: This study was carried out at Celal Bayar University School of Health in Turkey. The questionnaire was designed by the researchers and applied to all students (n=272) present at the school on the day of application. The attitudes and opinions of students were investigated using case vignettes describing sczhizophrenia and major depression.

Results: It was seen that 0.8% of the students described the depression vignette as “akil hastaligi” while 78% described it as “ruhsal hastalik” with the schizophrenia vignette, 26% of students described it as “akil hastaligi” while 65% described it as “ruhsal hastalik”. The participants who described the schizophrenia vignette as “akil hastaligi” stated that persons with symptoms like those of the schizophrenia vignette should not be free in the community (p<0.0001), they would not rent their house to a person with schizophrenia (p=0.013) and persons with schizophrenia are aggressive (p<0.0001); they had more negative attitudes than the participants who described it as “ruhsal hastalik”

Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that the concepts “akil hastaligi” and “ruhsal hastalik” are used in different ways and the concept “akil hastaligi” has a more stigmatizing meaning. Therefore “akil hastaligi” should be avoided by health professionals when dealing with patients.