Stigma toward mental and physical illness: attitudes of healthcare professionals, healthcare students and the general public in Pakistan.

Healthcare professionals Social Distance Scale mental illness physical illness stigma and discrimination

Journal

BJPsych open
ISSN: 2056-4724
Titre abrégé: BJPsych Open
Pays: England
ID NLM: 101667931

Informations de publication

Date de publication:
03 Aug 2020
Historique:
entrez: 4 8 2020
pubmed: 4 8 2020
medline: 4 8 2020
Statut: epublish

Résumé

The evidence base for stigma in mental health largely originates from high-income countries. This study from Pakistan aimed to address the gap in literature on stigma from low- and middle-income countries. This cross-sectional study surveyed 1470 adults from Karachi, Pakistan. Participants from three groups (healthcare professionals, healthcare students and the general public) completed the adapted Bogardus Social Distance Scale (SDS) as a measure of stigma. All three groups reported higher scores of stigma toward mental disorders compared with physical disorders. SDS scores for mental illness in the general public were significantly higher than in healthcare students (mean difference (MD) 6.93, 95% CI 5.45-8.45, P < 0.001) and healthcare professionals (MD 6.93, 95% CI 5.48-8.38, P < 0.001). However, SDS scores between healthcare students and healthcare professionals were not significantly different (MD 0.003, 95% CI -1.14-1.14, P > 0.99). Being female was associated with lower stigma scores and being over the age of 30 years was associated with higher stigma scores. Stigma campaigns in Pakistan need to target the general population. However, evidence of negative attitudes toward mental illness in healthcare students and healthcare professionals supports the need for stronger emphasis on psychiatric education within undergraduate and postgraduate training in Pakistan.

Sections du résumé

BACKGROUND BACKGROUND
The evidence base for stigma in mental health largely originates from high-income countries.
AIMS OBJECTIVE
This study from Pakistan aimed to address the gap in literature on stigma from low- and middle-income countries.
METHOD METHODS
This cross-sectional study surveyed 1470 adults from Karachi, Pakistan. Participants from three groups (healthcare professionals, healthcare students and the general public) completed the adapted Bogardus Social Distance Scale (SDS) as a measure of stigma.
RESULTS RESULTS
All three groups reported higher scores of stigma toward mental disorders compared with physical disorders. SDS scores for mental illness in the general public were significantly higher than in healthcare students (mean difference (MD) 6.93, 95% CI 5.45-8.45, P < 0.001) and healthcare professionals (MD 6.93, 95% CI 5.48-8.38, P < 0.001). However, SDS scores between healthcare students and healthcare professionals were not significantly different (MD 0.003, 95% CI -1.14-1.14, P > 0.99). Being female was associated with lower stigma scores and being over the age of 30 years was associated with higher stigma scores.
CONCLUSIONS CONCLUSIONS
Stigma campaigns in Pakistan need to target the general population. However, evidence of negative attitudes toward mental illness in healthcare students and healthcare professionals supports the need for stronger emphasis on psychiatric education within undergraduate and postgraduate training in Pakistan.

Identifiants

pubmed: 32741419
doi: 10.1192/bjo.2020.66
pii: S2056472420000666
pmc: PMC7453804
doi:

Types de publication

Journal Article

Langues

eng

Pagination

e81

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Auteurs

Muhammad Omair Husain (MO)

Division of General Psychiatry, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health; and University of Toronto, Canada.

Syeda S Zehra (SS)

Pakistan Institute of Living and Learning, Pakistan.

Madeha Umer (M)

Pakistan Institute of Living and Learning, Pakistan.

Tayyaba Kiran (T)

Pakistan Institute of Living and Learning, Pakistan.

Mina Husain (M)

General Adult Psychiatry, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, UK.

Mustafa Soomro (M)

General Psychiatry, Solent NHS Trust, UK.

Ross Dunne (R)

Later Life Psychiatry, Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust; and University of. Manchester, UK.

Sarwat Sultan (S)

Department of Applied Psychology, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Pakistan.

Imran B Chaudhry (IB)

Department of Psychiatry, Ziauddin Hospital, Pakistan.

Farooq Naeem (F)

Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto; and Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Canada.

Nasim Chaudhry (N)

Pakistan Institute of Living and Learning, Pakistan.

Nusrat Husain (N)

Division of Psychology & Mental Health, University of Manchester, UK.

Classifications MeSH