Stigmatization of Psychiatric Patients – Knowledge and Attitudes of Health and Non-health Professionals

Abstract

Uz teškoće u svakodnevnom djelovanju zbog simptoma svojih bolesti psihički bolesnici se moraju suočiti i s osjećajem odbačenosti od drugih ljudi, a sve zbog straha od njihovih nepredvidivih reakcija. Cilj ovog istraživanja je utvrditi razlike u znanjima i stavovima o stigmatizaciji psihičkih bolesnika u odnosu na vrstu zanimanja (zdravstveni, nezdravstveni djelatnici i psihijatrijsko osoblje), razinu obrazovanja (osnovno-srednjoškolsko obrazovanje, dodiplomska i sveučilišna diploma), spol i psihijatrijski hereditet u obitelji. Na uzorku od 243 ispitanika [namjernog uzorka zdravstvenih radnika (23,4%), nezdravstvenih radnika (49%) i psihijatrijskog osoblja (27,6%)], heterogenih prema sociodemografskim obilježjima) ispitani su znanje i stavovi prema psihičkim bolesnicima. U istraživanju je primijenjena Revidirana ljestvica za mjerenje stavova prema psihičkim bolesnicima izrađena prema ljestvici Ljetne škole studenata psihologije 2003. te Ljestvica znanja o psihičkim bolesnicima (SZPB) preuzeta iz istraživanja Jokić-Begić, Kamenov, Lauri Korajlija, 2005. Rezultati su pokazali da psihijatrijsko osoblje ima veće znanje o karakteristikama mentalno oboljelih pojedinaca, liječenju te o nastanku mentalnih bolesti od zdravstvenog i nezdravstvenog osoblja, a kod muškaraca samo od zdravstvenih radnika. Nezdravstveno i zdravstveno osoblje više od psihijatrijskog osoblja vjeruje da su s njima poželjni neposredni kontakti, osim kod muškaraca gdje nisu pronađene razlike. Obrazovaniji ispitanici imaju veće znanje o psihičkim bolestima i smatraju u većoj mjeri da su psihički bolesnici radno sposobni i ugodni, kao i da su s njima poželjni neposredni kontakti. Manje obrazovani ispitanici u većoj mjeri vjeruju da psihički bolesnici zaslužuju poštovanje i suosjećanje kao ravnopravni članovi društva. Značajne su razlike dobivene između ispitanika sa psihološkim hereditetom i bez psihijatrijskog herediteta u odnosu na jedan od aspekata stava. Ispitanici bez psihijatrijskog herediteta smatraju da osobe sa psihičkom bolesti zaslužuju više poštovanja i suosjećanja.Rezultati pružaju okvirne smjernice potrebne za oblikovanje procesa destigmatizacije psihičkih bolesnika u populaciji zdravstvenih i nezdravstvenih stručnjaka, kao i osobama različitog stupnja obrazovanja, posebno onima koji rade s mentalno oboljelim pacijentima ili stupaju s njima u kontakt nakon hospitalizacije./ With functional problems resulting from the symptoms of their illness, people with mental illness also face the feeling of being rejected by other people, partly because of the fear of their specific and unpredictable reactions. The objective of this study was to determine the differences in knowledge and attitudes regarding psychiatric patients affecting their stigmatization, with respect to the type of employment (health and non-health professionals and psychiatric personnel), level of education (elementary and secondary school, undergraduate degree, university degree), gender, and psychiatric heredity in the family. We used a sample of 243 respondents (intentional s...

Nurses’ Attitudes and Stigma about Mental Illness and Substance Abuse

“…Knowledge and attitudes toward persons with mental illness were tested using an anonymous questionnaire [22]. The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Neuropsychiatric Hospital (UR/BR: ZH/MS 2176-128-14-966-2/22).…”

“…Along with the survey, they were given a brief description of why the survey will be used and were informed that the survey is anonymous and that the data are protected. The survey consisted of a revised scale for measuring attitudes toward psychiatric patients (SAPP), the scale of knowledge on psychiatric patients (SKPP), and the social distance scale [22]. The initial part of the survey included sociodemographic variables: Gender, age, professional qualification, workplace, work experience, type of working hours, place of residence, and socioeconomic status.…”

“…The initial part of the survey included sociodemographic variables: Gender, age, professional qualification, workplace, work experience, type of working hours, place of residence, and socioeconomic status. The second part of the survey, a revised SAPP, constructed according to the Summer School for Psychology Students 2003 consisted of statements related to personal attitudes about the mentally ill and the attitude toward them while they are in the workplace [22]. Respondents were able to answer each statement to what extent it applies to them.…”

“…Respondents were able to answer each statement to what extent it applies to them. A Likert scale was used for the answers: Does not apply to me at all; does not apply to me; does not apply to me nor does it not apply to me; applies to me and completely applies to me [22]. The third part of the survey, The SKPP, consisted of five questions to which the examinees had to decide whether the statement was true or false in their opinion [22], [23].…”

“…A Likert scale was used for the answers: Does not apply to me at all; does not apply to me; does not apply to me nor does it not apply to me; applies to me and completely applies to me [22]. The third part of the survey, The SKPP, consisted of five questions to which the examinees had to decide whether the statement was true or false in their opinion [22], [23]. The fourth part of the survey, the social distance scale, contained a table of group members that the examinees had to mark if they would accept individual mentally ill patients (drug addicts, alcoholics, depressed, and PTSD sufferers) as a neighbor, friends, teacher, sibling's life partner, child's life partner, or as their own life partner [22].…”