Knowledge and Attitude among Nyamagana Community Members towards Mental illness, Tanzania

Knowledge and attitude towards mental illness play major role in the recognition, management, sociocultural factors and health seeking behavior among those with mental disorders. The study aim was to determine the knowledge and attitude among Nyamagana community members towards mental illness, Tanzania; A descriptive cross-sectional quantitative study involving 384 participants from sample population aged 18 years and above who were mentally health and semi-structured questionnaires was used to collect data. The results 110 (28.8%) respondents have good knowledge toward mental illness, about 292(76%) have negative attitude towards mentally ill people, 92(24%) respondents have positive attitude toward people who are mentally ill. More over about 318 (82.9%) respondents agreed that care and support of family and friends, could help people with mental illness to get rehabilitation while 66(17.1%) respondents disagreed on the care and support of the family and friends could help mentally ill people to get rehabilitation; The findings show most have poor knowledge and negative attitudes towards people with mental illness and may impair their social reintegration in the community. There’s need to develop strategies to enlighten the public regarding nature of mental illness so as to foster acceptance of people with mental illness by the community members.

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Attitudes of undergraduates towards mental illness: A comparison between nursing and business management students in India

South African Journal of Psychiatry ◽

10.4102/sajpsychiatry.v19i3.398 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 19 (3) ◽

pp. 8 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

P Vijayalakshmi ◽

D Reddy ◽

S B Math ◽

R Thimmaiah

Keyword(s):

Mental Illness ◽

Nursing Students ◽

Curriculum Design ◽

Mentally Ill ◽

Business Management ◽

Attitude Scale ◽

Public Health Issue ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

People With Mental Illness ◽

Management Students

Background. Mental illness is an important public health issue worldwide; stigmatisation and negative attitudes towards people with mental illness are widespread among the general public. However, little is known about the attitudes of undergraduates to mental illness. Purpose. To compare the attitudes towards mental illness among undergraduates enrolled in nursing courses v. those enrolled in Bachelor of Business Management (BBM) courses. Methods. A cross-sectional descriptive design was adopted for the present study. A total of 268 undergraduates were selected to complete the Attitude Scale for Mental Illness (ASMI) and the Opinions about Mental Illness in the Chinese Community (OMICC) questionnaires. Results. We found significant differences between the number of nursing and BBM students who agreed with statements posed by the questionnaires, e.g., that they would move out of their community if a mental health facility was established there (χ2=16.503, p<0.002), that they were not afraid of treated mentally ill people (χ2=15.279, p<0.004), and that people with mental illness tend to be violent (χ2=14.215, p<0.007) and dangerous (χ2=17.808, p<0.001). Nursing students disagreed that people with mental illness are easily identified (χ2=30.094, p<0.000), have a lower IQ (χ2=70.689, p<0.000) and should not have children (χ2=24.531, p<0.000). Nursing students were more benevolent than BBM students, as they agreed that people with mental illness can hold a job (χ2=49.992, p<0.000) and can return to their former position (χ2=11.596, p<0.021), that everyone faces the possibility of becoming mentally ill (χ2=38.726, p<0.000), and that one should not laugh at the mentally ill (χ2=17.407, p<0.002). Nursing students held less pessimistic attitudes, as they felt that the mentally ill should receive the same pay for the same job (χ2=10.669, p<0.031) and that the public are prejudiced towards people with mental illness (χ2=17.604, p<0.001).Conclusion. College students’ attitudes towards people with mental illness vary based on the course that they are enrolled in. Attitudes may be positively improved by revising curriculum design to incorporate educational sessions about mental illness. These are essential steps to combat discrimination, and potentially enhance the promotion of human rights for the mentally ill.

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Perceived stigma among caregivers of mentally ill patient: A descriptive cross-sectional study

Journal of Kathmandu Medical College ◽

10.3126/jkmc.v10i1.38971 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

pp. 43-46

Author(s):

Pratibha Khanal

Keyword(s):

Mental Illness ◽

Mentally Ill ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Perceived Stigma ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Face To Face ◽

Medical College ◽

Care And Support ◽

Standard Tool

Background: Stigmatising experience related to mental illness is not only confined to the patient but also experienced by their caregivers such as family members and friends. Caregivers feel down and helpless about their affiliation with stigma related to mental illness. Various research studies show that stigma related to mental illness have negative influence on caregivers which leads to concealing the status of mentally ill relatives. Objective: This study aimed to assess the level of perceived stigma among the caregivers of mentally ill patients. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at Psychiatric outpatient and inpatient department of Psychiatry, Kathmandu Medical College from 30th January to August 30th 2020. Two hundred and sixteen respondents were chosen conveniently. Face to face interview was conducted using standard tool ‘Devaluation Consumers Families Scale’ to assess the perceived stigma among caregivers of mentally ill patients. Results: Perceived stigma among the caregivers of mentally ill patients was found to be medium (mean score 15.8±2.8). The caregivers perceived the community looking down on the families with mentally ill relatives (community rejection). The mean score was low (2.1±0.8) on “uncaring parents” which indicates that the respondents did not agree that parents of mentally ill patients were less responsible and caring than others. Conclusion: Caregivers of mentally ill patient perceive stigma in various forms which affects the usages of health facilities, care and support towards mentally ill relatives. Objective: This study aimed to assess the level of perceived stigma among the caregivers of mentally ill patients. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at Psychiatric outpatient and inpatient department of Psychiatry, Kathmandu Medical College from 30th January to August 30th 2020. Two hundred and sixteen respondents were chosen conveniently. Face to face interview was conducted using standard tool ‘Devaluation Consumers Families Scale’ to assess the perceived stigma among caregivers of mentally ill patients. Results: Perceived stigma among the caregivers of mentally ill patients was found to be medium (mean score 15.8±2.8). The caregivers perceived the community looking down on the families with mentally ill relatives (community rejection). The mean score was low (2.1±0.8) on “uncaring parents” which indicates that the respondents did not agree that parents of mentally ill patients were less responsible and caring than others. Conclusion: Caregivers of mentally ill patient perceive stigma in various forms which affects the usages of health facilities, care and support towards mentally ill relatives.

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Individuals with Mental Illness and Stigma Reduction: A Cross-Sectional Study in a Group of College Students

Iranian Journal of Psychiatry ◽

10.18502/ijps.v14i4.1980 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Abdulaziz Aflakseir ◽

Muhammad Rasooli Esini ◽

Muhammad Goodarzi ◽

Javad Molazadeh

Keyword(s):

College Students ◽

Mental Illness ◽

Mentally Ill ◽

Social Contact ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Personal Contact ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Stigma Reduction ◽

People With Mental Illness ◽

Stigmatizing Attitudes

Objective: Stigma has a significant impact on the life of individuals with mental illness. The purpose of this study was to examine the association of contact with the mentally ill with stigmatizing attitudes in a group of college students. Method: A total of 287 college students participated in this study. The participants were recruited from Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences using convenience sampling and completed the research measures including the Level of Familiarity (LOF) and the Attribution questionnaires (AQ). The data were analyzed using SPSS. Results: The descriptive findings of this study showed that the participants’ highest score on stigmatizing attitudes was related to pity and the least score was related to anger towards people with mental illness. Furthermore, the regression analysis results indicated that personal contact, family contact, and work contact with individuals with mental illness significantly predicted stigma reduction, while other types of contacts with the mentally ill, such as friend contact, social contact, and media contact, did not significantly predict stigma reduction. Conclusion: This study highlighted the significant role of having contact with the mentally ill in reducing stigmatizing attitudes towards them.

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Burden And Coping Behaviour Among the Family Caregivers of the People With Mental Illness

Journal of Psychiatrists Association of Nepal ◽

10.3126/jpan.v10i1.40341 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

pp. 19-23

Author(s):

B. Kafle ◽

Y. Bagale

Keyword(s):

Mental Illness ◽

Family Caregivers ◽

Mentally Ill ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Coping Behaviour ◽

Medical College ◽

People With Mental Illness ◽

The People ◽

The Family ◽

And Coping

Introduction: Caring for a person with mental disorder is a challenge for the caregivers. Little is known about the ways in which families cope while caring for a relative with mental illness in developing countries. This study has tried investigating the family burden and coping behaviour among the family caregivers of the people with mental illness. Material And Method: This is a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted at Devdaha Medical College during the period of July 2019-December 2019. The research was approved by the Ethical Committee of the Institutional Review Board of Devdaha Medical College. The protocol approval number is 028/2019. Convenient sampling method was used. Data analysis was done in SPSS (Version 23, SPSS Inc, Chicago, USA). Results were presented as frequencies and percentages where required. Results: Moderate Burden was experienced by 72% of the caregivers while the rest 28% experienced severe burden. People whose spouses were mentally ill had severe burden. Males coped with higher degree of problem and emotional focused coping strategy than females. Males felt more burden in comparison to the females and burden was found to be significantly higher among the caregivers who were taking care of their mentally ill spouses. Conclusion: Caregiving is physically and psychologically demanding as it requires an enormous physical and emotional commitment as well as some basic skills. Teaching skills in the form of problem solving and communication are needed to promote the coping abilities and lessen the burden of caregivers.

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Socio Demographic and Clinical Profile of Indoor Female Patients of RINPAS

Indian Journal of Psychiatric Social Work ◽

10.29120/ijpsw.2017.v8.i1.13 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 8 (1) ◽

pp. 33

Author(s):

Rajni Suri ◽

Anshu Suri ◽

Neelam Kumari ◽

Amool R. Singh ◽

Manisha Kiran

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Mental Illness ◽

Mentally Ill ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Demographic Data ◽

Relevant Information ◽

Health Problems ◽

High Rate ◽

Physical And Mental Health ◽

Cross Sectional

The role of women is very crucial in our society. She cares for her parents, partner, children and other relatives. She performs all types of duties in family and also in the society without any expectations. Because of playing many roles, women often face many challenges in their life including both physical and mental. Mental health problems affect women and men equally, but some problems are more common among women including both physical and mental health problems. Aim of the study - The present study is aimed to describe and compare the clinical and socio-demographic correlates of female mentally ill patients.Â Methods and Materials: The study includes 180 female mentally ill patients based on cross sectional design and the sample for the study was drawn purposively. A semi structured socio-demographic data sheet was prepared to collect relevant information as per the need of the study. Result: The present study reveals that the socio-demographic factors contribute a vital role in mental illness. Findings also showed that majority of patients had mental problems in the age range of 20-30 have high rate. Illiterate and primary level of education and daily wage working women as well as low and middle socio-economic status women are more prone to have mental illness. Other factors like marital status, type of family and religion etc also important factors for mental illness. Keywords: Socio demographic profile, female, psychiatric patient

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Perspectives of community members on homeless people with mental illness in Nsawam, Ghana

International Journal of Social Psychiatry ◽

10.1177/0020764020984195 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 002076402098419

Author(s):

Kwamina Abekah-Carter ◽

George Ofosu Oti

Keyword(s):

Mental Illness ◽

Homeless People ◽

Structured Interview ◽

Homeless Persons ◽

Community Members ◽

Qualitative Research Design ◽

People With Mental Illness ◽

Interview Guide ◽

Audio Data ◽

Good Food

Background: Homelessness among people with mental illness has grown to become a common phenomenon in many developed and developing countries. Just like in any other country, the living conditions of homeless people with mental illness in Ghana are unwholesome. Despite the increased population of these vulnerable individuals on the streets, not much is known about the perspectives of the general public towards this phenomenon in Ghana. Aim: This research was conducted to explore the perspectives of community members on homeless people with mental illness. The main study objectives were (a) to find out the impacts of the presence of persons with mental illness on the streets and (b) to ascertain the reasons accounting for homelessness among persons with mental illness. Method: Utilizing a qualitative research design, twenty community members were sampled from selected suburbs in Nsawam and interviewed with the use of a semi-structured interview guide. The audio data gathered from the interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed thematically. Results: Majority of the participants asserted that homeless people with mental illness had no access to good food, shelter, and health care. They further stated that some homeless people with mental illness perpetrated physical and sexual violence against the residents. Moreover, the participants believed that persons with mental illness remained on the streets due to neglect by their family members, and limited access to psychiatric services. Conclusion: This paper concludes by recommending to government to make mental health services accessible and affordable to homeless persons with mental illness nationwide.

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Management aspects of care for the homeless mentally ill

Advances in Psychiatric Treatment ◽

10.1192/apt.2.4.158 ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 2 (4) ◽

pp. 158-165 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

P. Timms

Keyword(s):

Mental Illness ◽

Inner City ◽

Severe Mental Illness ◽

Social Service ◽

Mentally Ill ◽

Economically Disadvantaged ◽

High Unemployment ◽

People With Mental Illness ◽

Homeless Mentally Ill ◽

The Continuum

People with mental illness have always been marginalised and economically disadvantaged. Warner (1987) has shown that this is particularly true in times of high unemployment. Poor inner-city areas have excessive rates of severe mental illness, usually without the health, housing and social service provisions necessary to deal with them (Faris & Dunham, 1959). The majority of those who suffer major mental illness live in impoverished circumstances somewhere along the continuum of poverty. Homelessness, however defined, is the extreme and most marginalised end of this continuum, and it is here that we find disproportionate numbers of the mentally ill.

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Stigmatising attitudes towards the mentally ill: A survey in a Nigerian university teaching hospital

South African Journal of Psychiatry ◽

10.4102/sajpsychiatry.v16i2.238 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 16 (2) ◽

pp. 5 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Dominic Ignatius Ukpong ◽

Festus Abasiubong

Keyword(s):

Mental Illness ◽

Teaching Hospital ◽

Low Income ◽

Mentally Ill ◽

Educational Programme ◽

University Teaching ◽

Low Income Countries ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Convenience Sample ◽

Nigerian University

Background. The burden of mental illness is particularly severe for people living in low-income countries. Negative attitudes towards the mentally ill, stigma experiences and discrimination constitute part of this disease burden.Objective. The aim of this study was to investigate knowledge of possible causes of mental illness and attitudes towards the mentally ill in a Nigerian university teaching hospital population.Method. A cross-sectional descriptive study of a convenience sample of 208 participants from the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, Uyo, Nigeria, using the Community Attitudes towards the Mentally Ill (CAMI) scale. Information was also obtained on beliefs about possible causes of mental illness. Results. The respondents held strongly negative views about the mentally ill, mostly being authoritarian and restrictive in their attitudes and placing emphasis on custodial care. Even though the respondents appeared to be knowledgeable about the possible role of psychosocial and genetic factors in the causation of mental illness, 52.0% of them believed that witches could be responsible, 44.2% thought mental illness could be due to possession by demons, and close to one-third (30%) felt that it could be a consequence of divine punishment.Conclusions. Stigma and discrimination against the mentally ill are widespread even in a population that is expected to be enlightened. The widespread belief in supernatural causation is likely to add to the difficulties of designing an effective anti-stigma psycho-educational programme. There is a need in Nigeria to develop strategies to change stigma attached to mental illness at both institutional and community levels.

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Public attitudes towards people with mental illness in England and Scotland, 1994–2003

The British Journal of Psychiatry ◽

10.1192/bjp.bp.108.052654 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 194 (3) ◽

pp. 278-284 ◽

Cited By ~ 109

Author(s):

Nisha Mehta ◽

Aliya Kassam ◽

Morven Leese ◽

Georgia Butler ◽

Graham Thornicroft

Keyword(s):

Mental Illness ◽

Mentally Ill ◽

Public Attitudes ◽

Health Attitudes ◽

Significant Deterioration ◽

Community Attitudes ◽

Positive Effects ◽

Department Of Health ◽

People With Mental Illness ◽

Quota Sampling

BackgroundUnderstanding trends in public attitudes towards people with mental illness informs the assessment of ongoing severity of stigma and evaluation of anti-stigma campaigns.AimsTo analyse trends in public attitudes towards people with mental illness in England and Scotland using Department of Health Attitudes to Mental Illness Surveys, 1994–2003.MethodWe analysed trends in attitudes for 2000 respondents in each survey year (6000 respondents in 1996 and 1997) using quota sampling methods and the adapted Community Attitudes Toward the Mentally Ill scale.ResultsComparing 2000 and 2003, there was significant deterioration for 17/25 items in England and for 4/25 items in Scotland. Neither country showed significant improvements in items between 2000 and 2003.ConclusionsPublic attitudes towards people with mental illness in England and Scotland became less positive during 1994–2003, especially in 2000–2003, and to a greater extent in England. The results are consistent with early positive effects for the ‘see me’ anti-stigma campaign in Scotland.

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Attitudes toward people with mental illness among medical students

Journal of Neurosciences in Rural Practice ◽

10.4103/0976-3147.154569 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 06 (04) ◽

pp. 001-002

Author(s):

Vijayalakshmi Poreddi ◽

Rohini Thimmaiah ◽

Suresh Bada Math

Keyword(s):

Mental Illness ◽

Medical Students ◽

Health Care Professionals ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Psychiatric Education ◽

Undergraduate Medical Students ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

People With Mental Illness ◽

Students Attitudes ◽

Self Reporting Questionnaire

ABSTRACT Background: Globally, people with mental illness frequently encounter stigma, prejudice, and discrimination by public and health care professionals. Research related to medical students’f attitudes toward people with mental illness is limited from India. Aim: The aim was to assess and compare the attitudes toward people with mental illness among medical students’. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study design was carried out among medical students, who were exposed (n = 115) and not exposed (n = 61) to psychiatry training using self-reporting questionnaire. Results: Our findings showed improvement in students’ attitudes after exposure to psychiatry in benevolent (t = 2.510, P < 0.013) and stigmatization (t = 2.656, P < 0.009) domains. Further, gender, residence, and contact with mental illness were the factors that found to be influencing students’ attitudes toward mental illness. Conclusion: The findings of the present study suggest that psychiatric education proved to be effective in changing the attitudes of medical students toward mental illness to a certain extent. However, there is an urgent need to review the current curriculum to prepare undergraduate medical students to provide holistic care to the people with mental health problems.

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