Stigma on Mental Illness among Nurses

Abstract

A lack of knowledge about mental illness contributes to the pervasive stigma and discrimination that affects the quality of life. This study aims to determine the nurses' knowledge of mental illness and the existence of professional stigma in a teaching hospital in Selangor. The study used a quantitative cross-sectional design, with nurses selected using simple random sampling (n = 178) and utilizing the Attribution Questionnaire (AQ-27) and the Mental Health Knowledge Schedule (MAKS) (α = 0.76 & 0.62). Nurses’ knowledge is high (M=44.57±4.61) and that professional stigma exists. Additionally, significant association between knowledge and stigma among nurses was found (p<0.05).