Attitude towards mental illness among doctors working in a tertiary care centre: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background: Stigma towards mental illness, can limit patients from seeking help at the right time. Considering the disproportionate workforce of psychiatrists among the Indian population, a person needing psychiatric care may be first seen by a physician. This study assesses the attitude of doctors because they play a vital role in the pathway to the care of a psychiatric patient. Methods: It is a cross-sectional analytical study conducted in MOSC Medical College, Kolenchery, including all doctors, except those specialized in psychiatry. A semi-structured questionnaire and a 34-item Attitude Scale for Mental Illness (ASMI) were employed for assessing the attitude. Attitudes were studied using the independent sample t-test and Mann-Whitney U test. Results: Out of 188 doctors consisting of 152 (80.8%) clinicians and 36 (19.2%) non-clinicians, the majority had more than ten years of experience. The mean attitude score was 73.55 [Standard Deviation (SD) = 13.78] with 119 (63%) having negative attitude. The average attitude of clinicians was 72.48 (SD = 12.36) and non-clinicians was 78.02 (SD = 18.17), which did not show statistically significant difference (p = 0.086). Non-clinicians were found to show more separatism (p = 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in attitude when gender and experience were considered. Conclusion: The study shows negative attitude of doctors, clinicians and non-clinicians alike, towards mental illness. This may be, in part, due to limited exposure to individuals with mental illness during undergraduate training. This study highlights the need to broaden undergraduate curriculum to include more exposure to mental illness.

Keywords

• attitude
• doctors
• mental illness
• psychiatry