Attitude toward mental illness among medical students and nonpsychiatric doctors

Abstract

Objective: To determine the attitude toward mental illness among medical students and nonpsychiatric doctors of Mamata Medical College. Materials and Methods: The study was cross-sectional, conducted in Mamata Medical College, Khammam, from September 2016 to March 2017. Our study sample contains 150 medical students doing internship and 100 nonpsychiatric doctors working in Mamata Medical College, Khammam, who are willing to participate in the study. Results: In the present study, we observed negative attitude toward mental illness among both medical students and nonpsychiatric doctors. When compared attitude toward mental illness among medical students and nonpsychiatric doctors, we found that there was no statistically significant difference. Compared to nonpsychiatric doctors, the medical students had stigma that people with severe mental illness are dangerous and it is more discomfortable talking to a person with a mental illness. Compared to medical students, the nonpsychiatric doctors had stigma that being a psychiatrist is not like being a real doctor and it is not important that any doctor supporting a person with mental illness also assesses their physical health. Nonpsychiatric doctors also had stigma that they do not want to work with a colleague if they had a mental illness. Conclusion: This study demonstrates the need for educational programs aimed at medical and nonpsychiatric doctors for providing basic information and thus demystifying mental illness.