Attitude toward mental illness amongst urban nonpsychiatric health professionals

Attitude toward mental illness amongst urban nonpsychiatric health professionals

Blog Article

Background: This study was designed to examine the attitude of nonpsychiatric health professionals about mental illness in urban multispeciality tertiary care setting.Aim: To assess attitude toward mental illness among urban nonpsychiatric health professionals.Materials and Methods: A Play Basket cross-sectional study design was used.A pretested, semistructured questionnaire was administered to 222 medical and paramedical staff at two tertiary care hospitals at Chandigarh.Results: There is an increased awareness of mental illness especially in military subjects.

Literacy was associated with a positive attitude toward mental illness.Health care givers commonly fail to ask about the emotional well being of their patients.Many saw referral to psychiatrist as a form of punishment.There is uniform desire for more knowledge about psychiatric disorders in medical and paramedical staff.Conclusions: This study demonstrates the need for educational programs aimed at demystifying mental illness.

A better understanding of mental disorders U-Desks among the nonpsychiatric medical professional would help to allay fear and mistrust about mentally ill persons in the community as well as lessen stigmatization toward such persons.