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Porfyri GN, Athanasiadou M, Siokas V, Angelopoulos K, Skarpari S, Zagalioti SC, Dardiotis E, Rudolf J, Deretzi G, Konsta A, Diakogiannis I. Mental illness through the perspective of undergraduate medical students in Greece: a cross-sectional study at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. Front Psychiatry 2023; 14:1228539. [PMID: 38025465 PMCID: PMC10646174 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1228539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Numerous studies reveal that mental health-related stigma, stereotypes, and prejudices negatively affect the patients, jeopardizing their health, prognosis, and social opportunities. Healthcare professionals, who are in the first line of combating mental disease, are expected to play a significant role in drastically changing discriminatory and stigmatizing attitudes toward psychiatric patients and in diminishing the existing healthcare and social disparities. In this study, we aimed to explore and highlight the views of Greek medical students-that is of the future physicians-toward mental illness and people suffering from it. Materials and methods It is a cross-sectional, observational study, in which 324 undergraduate students from the most populous Greek medical school of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, participated online, during the spring semester of 2022. The tools used were the Opinions about Mental Illness Scale (OMI) that assesses one's viewpoints about mental illness, the Social Distance Scale (SDS) that captures the desired degree of social distancing from patients with mental disorders, and the Level of Contact Report (LCR-12) that estimates the level of familiarity with them. Results Participants displayed rather positive attitudes regarding the etiology of mental illness, social integration, and discrimination toward psychiatric patients [as evaluated with the respective OMI subscales; Etiology mean score (μ):8.87 ± 4.68, Social Integration (μ):17.79 ± 5.42, Social Discrimination (μ):13.54 ± 11.17], and more clearly favorable opinions concerning the need for social provision or the enactment of restrictive measures [as expressed with the relative OMI subscales; Social Care (μ):22.74 ± 4.56, Social Restriction (μ):13.27 ± 8.98], while claiming to be quite familiar with mental disorders and individuals experiencing them (as assessed with LCR; μ: 8.71 ± 2.16), and relatively willing to interact with them (as measured with SDS; μ:8.95 ± 4.23). Degree of familiarity with mental illness was directly proportional to the desire for contact with patients living with it, while the higher both were, the more improved most of the aforementioned OMI sectors were found to be. Female sex, clinical medical education, previous clinical psychiatric training, and living with or being a person with a mental disorder were the factors that defined a statistically refined profile in many of the aspects above. Conclusion Our findings are in accordance with many prior and recent studies, while showing improved opinions compared to those of previous research in Greek student and healthcare population. They are calling for vigilance, rather than complacency, as well as educational and social interventions, in order to enable current and future healthcare professionals to perform their function to its fullest extent. Implications of our results and further research suggestions are included.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgia-Nektaria Porfyri
- First Psychiatric Clinic, “Papageorgiou” General Hospital, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Maria Athanasiadou
- First Psychiatric Clinic, “Papageorgiou” General Hospital, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Vasileios Siokas
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital of Larissa, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece
| | | | - Sofia Skarpari
- Department of Neurology, “Papageorgiou” General Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Sofia-Chrysovalantou Zagalioti
- Department of Emergency Medicine, AHEPA University General Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Efthimios Dardiotis
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital of Larissa, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece
| | - Jobst Rudolf
- Department of Neurology, “Papageorgiou” General Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Georgia Deretzi
- Department of Neurology, “Papageorgiou” General Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Anastasia Konsta
- First Psychiatric Clinic, “Papageorgiou” General Hospital, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Ioannis Diakogiannis
- First Psychiatric Clinic, “Papageorgiou” General Hospital, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
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Kaparounaki CK, Koraka CA, Kotsi ES, Ntziovara AMP, Kyriakidis GC, Fountoulakis KN. Greek university student's attitudes and beliefs concerning mental illness and its treatment. Int J Soc Psychiatry 2019; 65:515-526. [PMID: 31311387 DOI: 10.1177/0020764019864122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Stigma concerning mental disorder is a widespread phenomenon concerning the beliefs and attitudes of the public toward mental patients with a significant negative impact on state policy and the outcome of the patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS The study included 1,363 students of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. The survey was based on an Internet-based electronic platform. The statistical analysis included analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Yates corrected chi-square test. RESULTS Approximately, 87% of students responded that they know what mental disorder is, 70% were informed from the Internet, 30% consider mental patients responsible for their condition, more than 95% blame the way they were raised and almost 60% consider mental disorder to be heritable. Only a minority feel negatively with a mental patient around and close to 80% would socialize with them. More than 80% accept the need for psychiatric medication treatment but the opinion is split concerning compulsory treatment, and one-third consider medication to be harmful. DISCUSSION The results of this study suggest that most students believe they know much about mental illness; however, overall their responses are contradictory. They reply with confidence although they are informed mainly by the media and the Internet in an unreliable way. A number of factors including gender, specific school or personal experience of mental disorder in the family seem to influence the result. A combined educational plus contact might be necessary to reduce stigma, since education alone seems to exert a weak effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chrysi K Kaparounaki
- 1 Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Chrysoula A Koraka
- 1 Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Eleni S Kotsi
- 1 Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Anna-Maria P Ntziovara
- 1 Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Gerasimos C Kyriakidis
- 1 Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Konstantinos N Fountoulakis
- 2 3rd Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
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Pascucci M, Ventriglio A, Stella E, Di Sabatino D, La Montagna M, Nicastro R, Parente P, De Angelis A, Pozzi G, Janiri L, Bellomo A. Empathy and attitudes towards mental illness among Italian medical students. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017. [DOI: 10.1080/17542863.2016.1276947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Marco Pascucci
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy
| | - Antonio Ventriglio
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy
| | - Eleonora Stella
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy
| | - Dario Di Sabatino
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy
| | - Maddalena La Montagna
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy
| | - Rossana Nicastro
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy
| | - Paolo Parente
- Department of Public Health, Section of Hygiene, Catholic University of Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy
| | - Andrea De Angelis
- Institute of Psychiatry and Psychology, Department of Neuroscience, Catholic University of Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy
| | - Gino Pozzi
- Institute of Psychiatry and Psychology, Department of Neuroscience, Catholic University of Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy
| | - Luigi Janiri
- Institute of Psychiatry and Psychology, Department of Neuroscience, Catholic University of Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy
| | - Antonello Bellomo
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy
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