Mental Illness In Medical Students Research Articles

Association of Attitude Towards Mental Illness with Exposure to Psychiatry in Medical Students

Background: Society's attitude towards patients with mental illness has been evolving over the past century and the speed of this evolution has particularly accelerated since the advent of modern ways of communication and media. As with other areas of development, attitude change may be expected to be slow-paced in our country but local evidence is lacking in this regard. Objective: To measure the level of stigma towards mental illness in medical students along with its association with their prior exposure to Psychiatry. Method: This is across-sectional study conducted between May to August 2019 at a private medical college. Consecutive sampling was used to include a total of 247 (71% female and 29% male) students of the fourth and final year MBBS after written informed consent. A specially designed form was used to collect relevant socio-demographic details along with data regarding exposure to Psychiatry. The scores from self-reported Mental Illness: Clinicians' Attitudes scale (MICA)were also recorded. Chi-Square test was used to assess the association of exposure to psychiatry to stigmatizing attitudes. Data were analyzed using SPSS20. Results: Prior exposure to mental illness in family or friend was reported by 60.5% of the students, 70% described an exposure through media and only 32% had undergone a clinical psychiatry rotation. Average stigma scores on MICA were found in 41% of our sample, while 32% had above-average scores and 27% had lower than average stigma. Pearson' schisquare test showed that the previous exposure to mental illness via media sources was found to be significantly associated with lower levels of stigma in medical students (p=

Developing an Educational Package to Improve Attitude of Medical Students Toward People With Mental Illness: A Delphi Expert Panel, Based on a Scoping Review.

IntroductionThe importance of stigma toward patients with mental illness in medical students as future physicians cannot be overemphasized. There is currently no formal training to reduce stigma toward mental illness in medical students in their educational curriculums in Iran like most other low and middle income countries. Therefore, aiming to provide a practical and effective training package focused on reducing stigma toward patients with mental illness in medical students, the current study conducted, as an expert panel with Delphi method, based on a scoping review, to develop an education package to improve attitude of medical students toward patients with mental illness.Materials and MethodsWe surveyed the available international databases including PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, PsycINFO, Tripdatabase, Web of Science, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews as well as Persian databases including Iranmedex, SID, Irandoc and Magiran in February and March 2020. After an extensive review of related resources, 13 articles met our inclusion criteria. Then, we extracted the related data including type and duration of the interventions, sample size, mean and standard deviation of stigma scores before and after interventions. To develop the package among the included interventions, we asked 16 experts in psychology, psychiatry, and social medicine to rate the interventions based on a number of variables such as effectiveness, feasibility and applicability in a Delphi process.ResultsThe selected intervention in Delphi method with consensus of experts included a set of four sequential interactive interventions: showing a movie and discussing it, psychiatric training including contact with people who affected psychiatric disorders, social communication with people who affected psychiatric disorders, and group discussion on defining stigma and personal experiences.ConclusionIn the present study, we recommend a set of interventions to reduce stigma toward patients with mental illness among medical students in the form of a package of combined, interactive and sequential interventions that have been previously been shown to be effective in reducing stigma related to mental illness. We expect that implementation of these interventions would reduce mental illness stigma in medical students; which needs further verification.

Stigma and attitudes toward mental illness among medical students: a cross-sectional study

Background: Mental disorders are a significant burden worldwide. Medical students as future physicians need to have appropriate knowledge and positive attitudes toward mentally ill patients. The objectives of the current study are to determine knowledge and attitude toward mental illness in medical students and compare the knowledge and attitude between medical students who completed a psychiatry course and those who did not. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among medical students at Umm Al-Qura University in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. The study sample was divided into two groups: The first group included medical students who did not complete the psychiatry course. The second group included medical students who completed the psychiatry course. The data were collected using a previously well-structured online questionnaire distributed to the students. Results: The study included 367 medical students (66.8% males). The mean age was 21.94. Participants were mainly from the third and fifth years of medical school (32.2%, 21.8%). Out of all participants, (63.5%) did not complete the psychiatry course. The majority did not take their psychiatry hospital placement (85.6%). Most participants had good knowledge (63.2%) and positive perception and attitudes (61.9%, 76.3%). Academic year difference positively affected knowledge about mental illness causes (p = 0.022) and attitudes (p = 0.010). Psychiatry hospital placement positively affected the perception of mental illness (p = 0.020). Conclusion: Overall, the students appeared to have good knowledge, positive attitudes, and a positive perception of mental illnesses. In addition, the percentage of stigmatizing thoughts was minimal.

A Virtual Wellness and Learning Communities Program for Medical Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Numerous studies have demonstrated the high risk for burnout and mental illness in medical students. Because of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, our medical school transitioned to an all-virtual learning environment from March to June 2020, which raised concerns among student leaders and administrators, as reduced interpersonal attachments have known associations with decreased mental health. In an effort to facilitate student well-being during the pandemic, the Virtual Wellness and Learning Communities (VWLC) program was established. VWLC consisted of hour-long events that offered students the opportunity to engage with their peers online. More than 20 events and workshops were conducted from March to June 2020, including trivia nights, song and guitar performances, sketching, video editing tutorials, chess lessons, yoga, and personal investing tips. An institutional review board-approved survey to assess the efficacy of the VWLC program was sent to medical student participants and nonparticipants. The overall response rate of this study was 43% (53/123). The response rate for students who attended a VWLC event was 51% (33/65), and the response rate for students who did not attend a VWLC event was 34% (20/58). Of all of the respondents, 85% (45/53) reported a decreased sense of connectivity with peers because of the pandemic, and 40% (21/53) reported a decrease in their sense of wellness. After attending a VWLC event, 79% (26/33) reported an increased sense of peer connectivity, 61% (20/33) reported improved wellness, and 55% (18/33) believed that these events should continue postpandemic to supplement in-person programming. Those who did not attend a virtual event stated that the main barriers to attending were unfamiliarity with attendees and screen fatigue. The COVID-19 pandemic has worsened medical student well-being and sense of community. VWLC programming may be an effective strategy for promoting medical student wellness and community while social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic. To our knowledge, this is the first virtual wellness program for promotion of medical student mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic to be described in the literature.

Síntomas depresivos, ansiedad, estrés y factores asociados en estudiantes de medicina

Introducción: La salud mental se constituye un grave problema de salud pública, se reporta una alta prevalencia de síntomas depresivos, ansiedad y estrés en estudiantes de medicina.Objetivo: Identificar la frecuencia y determinantes de problemas de salud mental de estudiantes de medicina en una universidad en 2018.
 Métodos: Estudio corte transversal con 813 estudiantes de medicina en una universidad de Cali-ColombiaResultados: La prevalencia de depresión fue 31.7%, ansiedad (59.9%), y estrés (37.3%). El 64.4% fueron mujeres, la edad promedio fue 21.9 ±3.6 años. Las variables que explican de manera independiente de presentar enfermedad mental fueron: sexo masculino OR: 0.48 (IC 95%: 0.36-0.65), número de horas de clase semanal OR: de 1.01 (IC 95%: 1.0-1.02), para ansiedad, la satisfacción con la carrera OR: 0.61 (IC 95%: 0.39-0.97). Como factor protector de depresión, las horas deportivas en la semana se consideran un factor protector para las variables depresión OR 0.95 (IC 95%:0.91-0.99), ansiedad OR 0.95 (IC 95%: 0.92-0.98), y estrés: OR 0.91 (IC 95%: 0.88-0.95).Conclusiones: El estudio mostró alta prevalencia de enfermedad mental en estudiantes de medicina que puede explicarse por sexo, número de horas de clase semanal, satisfacción con la carrera y horas deportivas semanales

You're Not Alone: Sharing of Anonymous Narratives to Destigmatize Mental Illness in Medical Students and Faculty.

You're Not Alone: Sharing of Anonymous Narratives to Destigmatize Mental Illness in Medical Students and Faculty.

Attitudes toward mentally ill patients: a comparison between Romanian and international medical students.

BackgroundStigmatizing attitudes to mental illness, and especially schizophrenia, are not limited to the general population but are also common among health professionals. Health professionals are in a position to model health related attitudes both in the general public and patients. Medical students are an interesting group to focus upon, since they are future health professionals and correcting stigmatizing attitudes is still possible during their educational curriculum.MethodsThis study investigated the attitude toward mental illness in medical students at the Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy. We surveyed first year students, since they have not yet received specific classes or internships in psychiatry; 322 students from the Romanian and English sections participated, representing a response rate of 94.7%. The questionnaire consisted of the Romanian and English versions of Link’s Social Distance Scale towards people with mental illness scale.ResultsOverall, medical students had a relatively negative attitude towards people with mental illness, with moderate social distance and stereotypical attitudes. The level of personal contact with people with mental illness was correlated with positive attitudes. International students had scored lower then Romanian students on social distance toward mentally ill patients.ConclusionsMedical education can play an important role in the attitudes of students toward mental illness. Medical students have stigmatizing attitudes about mentally ill patients. Personal contact with people suffering from mental illness might contribute to a positive attitude from the medical students toward mentally ill patients.

Stigma Related to Mental Illness in Medical Students From Madrid.

Introduction Several studies show a high prevalence of stigma related to mental illnes. This implicate the presence of prejudiced behaviours and false beliefs when treating with people with mental disorders. The literature reveals elevated rates of stigmatization in general population. Also, it is documented in general healthcare professionals and even in mental health workers or medicine students. This scene supposes an obstacle in several vital areas. The evaluation of stigma in medicine students become fundamental considering that they will be professionals soon. Objectives To evaluate the attitudes towards mental illness in a sample of medicine students from Madrid. Material and Methods The MICA (Mental Illness Clinician’ s Attitudes) scale v4 was used to evaluate the objective. Different sociodemographic variables were also included just like information about the clinical speciality the would like to choose. The posible association between theese variables and the scale reults was evaluated. 100 medical students in their 5°-6° year of the degree completed this questionnaire. The sample was collected from the Universidad Complutense de Madrid. A descriptive and analytical analysis were carried out using the statistics programme spss v. 21. Results and Conclusions The results suggest that the rates of stigma between medical students from this sample are higher than desirable. That situation reinforce the need of encourage anti-stigma programmes which probably should include a longer contact between medical students and psychiatric patients.

Mandatory physical exercise for the prevention of mental illness in medical students.

Medical students experience higher rates of mental illness than the general population. With competition rising for success in medical school, and residency, increasing incidence of distress are leading this population to experience higher rates of thoughts of dropping out of school, and even suicide. Since many stigmas deter medical students from receiving mental health counseling, such as the perceived inability to handle the stresses of medical school, and the potential lack of competitiveness for residencies if reported, prevention of mental illness may be a better course to take in reducing prevalence in this population. Regular exercise has demonstrated a positive effect on not only promoting physical health, but also mental health. Exercise encourages a healthy mood, positive self esteem, and better cognition, while decreasing the chances of depression, anxiety, and burnout. Implementing exercise time into medical school curriculums, just like the basic sciences, albeit for less time in the day, could provide a feasible way to ensure that all students are taking time to partake in this important activity for their well being. Though medical schools are rigid with attempts to make changes in their curriculum, thirty minutes a day, three to five times a week of exercise of the students’ choice not only is more cost effective than counseling, but it also reduces the chances that they will experience burnout, which if left untreated could transcend into a compromised training experience.

Mandatory physical exercise for the prevention of mental illness in medical students

Medical students experience higher rates of mental illness than the general population. With competition rising for success in medical school, and residency, increasing incidence of distress are leading this population to experience higher rates of thoughts of dropping out of school, and even suicide. Since many stigmas deter medical students from receiving mental health counseling, such as the perceived inability to handle the stresses of medical school, and the potential lack of competitiveness for residencies if reported, prevention of mental illness may be a better course to take in reducing prevalence in this population. Regular exercise has demonstrated a positive effect on not only promoting physical health, but also mental health. Exercise encourages a healthy mood, positive self esteem, and better cognition, while decreasing the chances of depression, anxiety, and burnout. Implementing exercise time into medical school curriculums, just like the basic sciences, albeit for less time in the day, could provide a feasible way to ensure that all students are taking time to partake in this important activity for their well being. Though medical schools are rigid with attempts to make changes in their curriculum, thirty minutes a day, three to five times a week of exercise of the students' choice not only is more cost effective than counseling, but it also reduces the chances that they will experience burnout, which if left untreated could transcend into a compromised training experience.

Educators Pave Innovative Paths to Teaching About Mental Illness

Back to table of contents Previous article Next article Association NewsFull AccessEducators Pave Innovative Paths to Teaching About Mental IllnessEve BenderEve BenderSearch for more papers by this authorPublished Online:7 Nov 2008https://doi.org/10.1176/pn.43.21.0006Five outstanding education projects geared toward medical students have earned recognition and grant funding as part of a new APA program introduced this summer.Under the Innovative Teaching Grant awards program five outstanding medical-student educators received grants of $5,000 each from APA to fund projects designed to instruct medical students about specialized areas of psychiatry.The teaching projects cover a variety of topics ranging from the stigma surrounding mental illness to smoking cessation.“These innovative teaching awards encourage better integration of psychiatry throughout the medical-school curriculum,” said Deborah Hales, M.D., director of APA's Division of Education and Career Development, in an interview with Psychiatric News. “An additional benefit may be increased recruitment into psychiatry, since outstanding teachers are one of the most important influences on specialty choice.”Creedmoor Psychiatric Center is home to The Living Museum, where patients can display their artwork to audiences who visit. Thanks to a new grant program established by APA, medical students from New York State Psychiatric Institute can travel to the studio to view the artwork and converse with the patients who created it.Photos: Bill StantonMembers of APA's Corresponding Committee on Medical Student Education chose the grant recipients based on the level of innovation demonstrated by the curriculum, the ability to replicate the program in other academic settings, and the degree to which the curriculum generated or was likely to generate interest in psychiatry among medical students. The grants could go to existing or proposed programs.The projects chosen encourage medical-student participation that extends beyond didactics so that the students can better understand the experiences of those living with mental illness and get an in-depth view of some of the issues psychiatrists deal with on a regular basis.For instance, medical-student participation is an essential part of the project for which Janis Cutler, M.D., won an APA grant. She is director of medical-student education in psychiatry at the New York State Psychiatric Institute and a professor of clinical psychiatry at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons.Cutler's project, “Changing Perspectives: Reducing the Stigma of Mental Illness in Medical Students Through the Living Museum Project,” conveys patients' experiences through their artistic expression.The so-called “living museum,” Cutler explained, is an art studio located in the Creedmoor Psychiatric Center in Queens, N.Y., which was cofounded and is directed by Janos Martin, Ph.D.The students' visits occur in small groups, which enables them to interact with several patient-artist guides who present and describe their artwork during the visits.“Our hope is that this exposure will demonstrate the humanity, individuality, and creative potential of individuals suffering from chronic and severe psychiatric disorders, thus reducing stigmatization of this underserved population among future physicians,” Cutler told Psychiatric News.She explained that APA funding will enable approximately 150 first- and second-year medical students to be transported to and from the museum.Previously, she noted, funding limits meant that only 20 third-year medical students participating in psychiatry clerkships had the opportunity to visit the museum and interact with the patient-artist guides.Another program that received APA funding emphasizes prevention and management of metabolic syndrome among people with serious mental illness.Jason Rosenstock, M.D., an assistant professor of psychiatry and director of medical-student education at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, has implemented what he calls a “mini-elective” for second-year students who are interested in the treatment of mental illness.As part of the month-long course, six to eight students receive didactic teaching on lifestyle-change strategies, including weight management and diabetes prevention for people with serious mental illness. They then apply what they have learned by working with patients to coach them to achieve mutually established goals under close supervision of psychiatry faculty members.APA funding will provide honoraria for faculty time and resources for teaching.Rosenstock and his colleagues also plan to study the impact of the curriculum on medical students, he noted.These are the three additional grant-winning programs and their directors:“A School-Based Medical Student Curriculum for Education in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry,” led by Justine Larson, M.D., M.P.H., at Johns Hopkins University; “Design, Implementation, and Evaluation of an Open-Access Curriculum on Child/Youth Psychiatry for Medical Students and Other Trainees,” directed by Derek Puddester, M.D., of the University of Ottawa School of Medicine; and “Smoking-Cessation Groups Led by Medical Students in Inpatient and Outpatient Settings,” led by Marie Rueve, M.D., of Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine.The five projects chosen will be featured in a symposium at APA's next annual meeting, which will be held in San Francisco May 16 to 21, 2009.More information about APA's Innovative Teaching Grant program is posted at<www.psych.org/MainMenu/EducationCareerDevelopment/EducationalInitiatives/EducatingaNewGenerationofPsychiatrists/teachinggrant.aspx>.▪ ISSUES NewArchived

Attitudes toward mental illness in medical students: does personal and professional experience with mental illness make a difference?

Medical students may be susceptible to emotional difficulties because of the high levels of both academic and interpersonal stress associated with their training. This study examined attitudes toward mental illness in medical students. It was expected that people who had experience of mental illness, either in their personal lives or through their professional experience, would have more positive attitudes toward students with mental health problems than would people who had not had such experience. Faculty and staff employed by a large American university medical centre completed a questionnaire package including several measures designed to assess specific attitudes toward medical students with emotional problems. Data were also collected on the degree to which specific mental disorders were thought to interfere with the performance of medical students. In general, prior experience with mental illness, either through personal or professional activities, was associated with more positive attitudes about students with mental illness. However, the pattern of findings was complex. Future research should examine the extent to which specific mental illnesses actually affect the performance of medical students.

Influence of a 3-week psychiatric training programme on attitudes toward mental illness in medical students.

The present study was carried out to assess the influence of psychiatric training, including direct patient contact, on attitudes toward mental illness. An experimental group consisting of medical students going through their 3-week training in psychiatry was compared with a control group going through training in ophthalmology. The psychiatric training involved direct patient contact and course work. Attitudes toward three different vignettes were assessed before and after training. Analyses showed that there were no significant changes in the attitudes of the psychiatry group when compared to the ophthalmology group. Inconsistent findings in the literature were pointed out and a more analytical approach, focusing on the specific features of exposure, was suggested.

Group Therapy and Attitudinal Changes to Mental Illness in Medical Students

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Mental illness in medical students. A problem the profession must face.

Dr. Weedon was formerly Professor of Clinical Pathology, Queensland Medical School, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.