A study of stigmatized attitudes towards people with mental health problems among health professionals |
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| Authors: | H. RAO mb bs md mrcp,sych,H. MAHADEVAPPA mb bs mrcsp,sych,P. PILLAY mb bs mrcp,sych,M. SESSAY mb bs mrcsp,sych,A. ABRAHAM mb bs md mrcp,sych & J. LUTY mb c,hb bsc phd mibiol cbiol mrcpsych |
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| Affiliation: | Specialist Registrar in Psychiatry, Tower Hamlets SAU, Mile end Hospital, London,;Staff Grade on Old Age Psychiatry, King's Wood Centre, Colchester,;Specialist Registrar in Psychiatry, Dagenham,;Specialist Registrar in Psychiatry, Mental Health Unit, Basildon Hospital, Nethermayne, Basildon,;Consultant in Addictions Psychiatry, South Essex Partnership NHS Trust, Honorary Consultant in Addictions Psychiatry, Cambridge &Peterborough Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust, The Taylor Centre, Queensway House, Southend on Sea, Essex, and;Senior House Officer in Psychiatry, 15 Elgin House, Cameron Close, Warley, Brentwood, UK |
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| Abstract: | ![]()
The project aimed to assess stigmatized attitudes among health professionals directed towards patients with mental health problems. The Attitude to Mental Illness Questionnaire was used to assess participants' attitudes towards fictitious patients from a secure forensic hospital and patients with schizophrenia and substance use disorders. Participants were health professionals from acute and mental health settings. In total, 108 completed questionnaires were received. Participants had highly stigmatized attitudes towards patients from a forensic hospital and those with active substance use disorders. Attitudes were less stigmatized to people with substance use disorders who were recovering in remission. This suggested that health professionals have stigmatized attitudes towards an illness such as schizophrenia and this is worse towards patients from a secure hospital. The manner in which patients with substance use disorder are presented can have a significant effect on stigmatized attitudes by health professionals. |
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| Keywords: | discrimination health professionals schizophrenia special hospitals stigma substance use disorders |
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