Stigma in mental health: perceptions of students who will be future health professionals

Participants: non-probabilistic sample of 486 Portuguese students of Medicine, Psychology, Occupational Therapy and Nursing; 22% male and 78% female; mean age 20.4 years; 65% at beginning of the course and 35% finishing (Table 1). Instruments: Socio-demographic questionnaire; Attribution Questionnaire - AQ 27 Port. Version (Corrigan, 2003; Sousa et al., 2008). Procedure: Data was collected in different Faculties of Porto University and Porto Polytechnic Institute in 2009, Using self-completion questionnaire, anonymous and confidential, after formal authorization. Data analysis: SPSS-17 was used to do a descriptive, t Student and One way Anova analysis. STIGMA IN MENTAL HEALTH: STIGMA IN MENTAL HEALTH: PERCEPTIONS OF STUDENTS WHO WILL BE FUTURE HEALTH PROFESSIONALS PERCEPTIONS OF STUDENTS WHO WILL BE FUTURE HEALTH PROFESSIONALS António José Marques 1,2,Tânia Barbosa 1,3, 4 & Cristina Queirós 1,4 1 Psychosocial Rehabilitation Laboratory (FPCEUP / ESTSPIPP) –Porto, Portugal 2School of Allied Health Sciences - Porto Polytechnic Institute, Portugal 3Psychiatric Department of S. João Hospital, E.P.E., Porto - Portugal 4 Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences - Porto University, Portugal 1. Introduction 1. Introduction The stigma towards mental illness is still very rooted in our society, despite the number of studies, campaigns, and anti-stigma programs developed in recent years. Stigma represents a serious obstacle to recovery and social integration for people who experience a mental illness, affecting directly their well-being and quality of life. It implies that these persons have to deal with many other barriers apart from the disease symptoms. Studies indicate that stigma can be promoted by different social groups (Goffman, 2008). Not only by general population but also by relatives, by individuals with mental illness, and even by mental health professionals (Corrigan, 2007; Corrigan et al., 2004; Schulze, 2007). Convergently, recent literature suggests that less positive attitudes by mental health professionals interfere with the self-determination and recovery process (Link, 2001; Sirey, 2001, cit. in Sadow & Ryder, 2008). Key words: Schizophrenia, Stigma, Comparative study, Students, Health courses. 2. Aims 2. Aims To compare attitudes and stigma towards mental illness in students who may work as mental health professionals.. 3. Methods 3. Methods 5. Conclusions 5. Conclusions 6. Bibliography 6. Bibliography Some attitudes related to stigma were identified in the sample, contradicting the actual knowledge about mental illness and politics of social inclusion. It seems necessary to modify theoretical topics about mental illness, as well as pedagogical methods. Therefore, stigma and social exclusion should be discussed since the beginning of the courses., as well as direct contact with people who experienced mental illness should be promoted as well since the beginning of the curricula. Future members of mental health teams must be conscious about their role in avoid stigma. - Corrigan, P. (2007). How Clinical Diagnosis Might Exacerbate the Stigma of Mental Illness. SocialWork, 52, 1, 31-39. - Corrigan, P., Markowitz, F., Watson, A., Rowan, D., & Kubiak, M. (2003). An attribution model of public discrimination towards people with mental illness. Journal of Health and Social Behaviour, 44, 162–179. - Corrigan, P., Watson, A., Warpinski, A., & Gracia, G. (2004). Implications of Educating the Public on Mental Illness, Violence, and Stigma. Psychiatric Services 55, 577–580. - Goffman, E. (2008). Estigma: notas sobre a manipulação da identidade deteriorada. Rio de Janeiro: LTC (tradução do original de 1963). - Schulze, B. (2007). Stigma and mental health professionals: A review of the evidence on an intricate relationship. International Review of Psychiatry, 19, 2, 137–155. - Sousa, S., Queirós, C., Marques, A., Rocha, N. & Fernandes, A. (2008). O estigma nos familiares de pessoas com doença mental grave: estudo exploratório com o AQ - 27. Porto: FPCEUP. 4. Results 4. Results *p < 0,050 **p < 0,010 www.labrp.com [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Data revealed that the sample has little contact with mentally ill individuals (only 19% have relatives with mental illness). Students from Medicine and Psychology present higher values in stigma dimensions, while Occupational Therapy and Nursing show lower values (Table 2). Students beginning the course show higher stigma than those finishing. Having regular contact with mentally ill individuals seems to decrease stigma attitudes. Table 2. Stereotypes mean from AQ-27 in the sample, related to course, moment in the course and contact with mental illness (a) Pos-hoc Bonferroni usually opposes Medicine and Psychology to Occupational Therapy and Nursing Stereotypes (Min 3 - Max 27) Mean (S.D.) N= 486 Nursing N= 141 Medicine N= 137 Psychology N=130 Occupational Therapy N=78 F (a) Sig Beginning N= 318 Finishing N= 168 tSig Contact with M.I. N= 91 Without contact with M.I. N= 395 tSig Responsibility 7,01 (2,9) 7,11 6,70 7,11 7,24 0,740 0,528 7,08 6,88 0,715 0,475 6,68 7,09 -1,170 0,243 Pity 16,02 (4,9) 14,30 16,90 17,85 14,56 16,623 0,000 17,13 13,93 7,088 0,000 15,64 16,11 -0,811 0,418 Anger 7,45 (3,4) 6,87 7,80 8,20 6,64 5,688 0,001 7,66 7,05 1,972 0,049 7,24 7,53 -0,721 0,471 Dangerousness 9,34 (4,5) 7,66 10,43 10,61 8,33 15,270 0,000 9,63 8,78 1,996 0,047 9,42 9,34 0,146 0,884 Fear 8,86 (4,6) 7,38 9,66 10,30 7,74 13,012 0,000 9,29 8,06 2,821 0,005 8,91 8,87 0,080 0,936 Help 21,92 (4,2) 22,66 20,07 22,46 22,94 13,519 0,000 22,12 21,54 1,441 0,150 22,97 21,65 2,976 0,003 Coercion 15,69 (4,1) 15,04 16,33 16,12 15,05 3,509 0,015 15,62 15,83 -0,553 0,581 15,64 15,67 -0.073 0,942 Segregation 8,46 (4,2) 7,41 9,59 9,45 6,69 14,452 0,000 8,75 7,90 2,142 0,033 7,55 8,68 -2,341 0,020 Avoidance 12,34 (5,4) 11,02 14,54 12,61 10,44 15,093 0,000 12,27 12,48 -0,413 0,680 2,12 12,38 -0,421 0,674 Table 1. Distribution for course and year Course Frequency Percentage Nursing 141 29,0 Medicine 137 28,2 Psychology 130 26,7 Occupational Therapy 78 16,0 Total 486 100 Beginning 318 65,4 Finishing 168 34,6