Knowledge, attitude and practice towards mental health illnesses in an urban community in West Bengal: a community based study

Abstract

Background: Mental illness is a significant challenge and becoming more relevant in today’s fast paced world. According to WHO, mental health is “a state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community”. The aim of the present study was to assess the knowledge about mental illness and attitude and practice of the public toward people with mental illness. Methods: An observational, descriptive study with cross-sectional design was done among 200 adults of Bagh bazar slum, urban field practice area of department of Community Medicine, R. G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal, India in May 2019 with a predesigned, pretested schedule.Results: Only 2.5% says that they are willing to live with a people with mental illness and only 1% has actually done so. Health-care seeking behavior shows that 54.5% will go to a general practitioner in case of any mental illness though only 2.5% believed that people with severe mental illness can fully recover. Attitude toward mental illness showed mixed picture as also in knowledge.Conclusions: Health education and public awareness regarding mental illness can decrease the stigma, prejudice; discrimination attached with it and improves help-seeking behaviour of the community. This study provides insights into the cognitive and affective aspect of mental illness among adult population of the study area. It will also help in implementing better policies for increasing public awareness regarding mental illness.

Attitude and help-seeking behavior of the community towards mental health problems

“…This study has shown more than sixty percent of the respondents agreed it is best to avoid anyone who has mental health problems. Similar findings were reported from the studies done in Nigeria [ 32 – 34 ], India [ 12 , 35 ], Iraq [ 36 ], and Saudi Arabia [ 37 ]. Indicating the ignorance and discrimination associated with mental illness in most societies, attitudes are not substantially different across the globe.…”

“…This study finding revealed more than half of the participants agreed a woman or a man would be foolish to marry someone who had a mental illness, even though he/she seems fully recovered. A similar belief was reflected from the studies done in Iraqi [36], Nigeria [32][33][34], and West Bengal India [35]. This findings validate the negative attitudes and stigma linked to mental illness are barriers to marital life.…”

Knowledge of the community regarding mental health problems: a cross-sectional study

“…In contrary to this, biological factors were reported as the main causes of mental illness in the studies conducted in Tanzania [41], Eretria [38], and Saudi Arabia [42]. Additionally, religious and cultural explanations for the causes of mental illness were reported by the studies done in South Africa [43], Agro, Gimbi town, and Borana Ethiopia [44][45][46], Nigeria [36], and Pakistan [47]. The differences in the description of causes of mental illness across different societies could be explained by the socioeconomic, literacy status, urban-rural study setting differences across the studies.…”

“…While a combination of medical, religious, and traditional treatment was favored by the respondents in the studies done in Eritrea [ 48 ], Saudi Arabia [ 49 ], Nigeria [ 39 ], and Ethiopia [ 5 ], medical management (medication and counseling) was the most preferred among the study subjects in Tanzania [ 41 ], Saudi Arabia [ 42 ], Slovak Republic, and Russia [ 50 ], New Zealand [ 51 ], South Africa [ 43 ], Ethiopia [ 13 , 52 ], and India [ 45 ].…”

“…Whereas biological factors were reported as the main causes of mental illness in the studies conducted in Tanzania [41], Eretria [38], and Saudi Arabia [42]. Conversely, in South Africa [43], elsewhere in Ethiopia [44][45][46], Nigeria [36], and, Pakistan [47] mental illness was attributed to religious and cultural factors, While a combination of medical, religious, and traditional treatment was favored by the respondents in the studies done in Eritrea [48], Saudi Arabia [49], Nigeria [39], and Ethiopia [5], medical management (medication and counseling) was the most preferred among the study subjects in Tanzania [41], Saudi Arabia [42], Slovak Republic, and Russia [50], New Zealand [51], South Africa [43], Ethiopia [13,52], and India [45].…”