Comparison of attitudes toward psychiatry among undergraduate and postgraduate medical students

Abstract

IntroductionAttitudes toward psychiatry among medical students will have a great impact on future of expanding psychiatry and breaking barriers at multiple levels.AimsTo assess and compare the attitudes of undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) medical students toward psychiatry and assess association between sociodemographic variables and attitudes toward mental illness.MethodsA cross-sectional study conducted in a tertiary health care centre, total of 100 (50 UG and 50 PG) medical students were recruited in the study. A standardised questionnaire, Attitudes Toward Psychiatry-30 items (ATP-30) and semi-structured proforma for sociodemographic details were given to study subjects to fill up. Statistical analysis: Both quantitative and qualitative measures of data were calculated. Statistical significance was kept at p-value of <0.05, using Fisher’s exact test and Chi-square test. Data were analysed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21.ResultsThe overall ATP-30 score responses were positive (>90) in both males (88%) and females (62%). More number of positive responses were seen in both UG (68%) and PG (84%) medical students compared to only some negative responses in UG (22%) and PG (16%). This difference is significant at p-value <0.05. There is a significant difference (p-value <0.05) in attitudes among UG and PG students in item number four revealing 32% PGs wish was to be psychiatrist. Majority of the UGs and PGs agreed that UG psychiatric training is valuable.We have found overall good attitudes toward psychiatry in the study population but conflicting interest in taking psychiatry as career choice.