Mental health-related stigma among healthcare students: Effects of an educational-intervention

Abstract

IntroductionStigma towards individuals with mental illness is a major public health problem and opposition to stigma has become a relevant goal for mental health stakeholders worldwide. AimTo examine the effectiveness of interventions designed to reduce mental illness stigma among healthcare students. MethodsA pre-post study was conducted; healthcare students of the bachelor degrees in nursing, occupational therapy and dietetics of the University of Milan completed the Italian version of the Opening Minds Stigma Scale for Healthcare Providers (OMS-HC) before (T0) and after (T1) 2 months from a specific educational intervention. ResultsSeventy-three students were enrolled (89.02%). Before the educational intervention (T0), the median level of stigma was 21[18;24]; At baseline, stigma levels were significantly lower in subjects who reported clinical experience with mental health issues (p<0.001) and who had relatives/friends with psychiatric disorders (p = 0.021). After two months, OMS-HC scores were significantly lower in the whole sample (Me= 16[13–19] p = 0.01). DiscussionThis study suggests that a brief, tailored 2-hour intervention can positively influence the attitudes of nursing, occupational therapy and dietetics undergraduate students towards mental illness. Implications for practiceBrief tailored educational interventions should be employed diffusely to reduce stigma towards mental health in bachelor degree students.