Francisco Del Olmo-Romero1, María González-Blanco2, Salvador Sarró3,4, Jaime Grácio5,6,7, Manuel Martín-Carrasco4,8, Ana C Martinez-Cabezón9, Giampaolo Perna10,11,12, Edith Pomarol-Clotet3,4, Pedro Varandas5,13, Javier Ballesteros-Rodríguez4,8,14,15, Carlos Rebolleda-Gil16, Giovanna Vanni10, Eduardo González-Fraile17,18. 1. Complejo Asistencial Benito Menni and Clínica San Miguel, Sisters Hospitallers, Madrid, Spain. 2. Miniresidencia Aravaca, Línea de Rehabilitación, Sisters Hospitallers, Madrid, Spain. 3. FIDMAG Research Foundation, Sisters Hospitallers, Barcelona, Spain. 4. CIBERSAM (Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental), Madrid, Spain. 5. Clínica Psiquiátrica de S. José, Sisters Hospitallers, Lisbon, Portugal. 6. Nova Medical School/Faculdade De Ciências Médicas, Universidade Nova De Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal. 7. Champalimaud Clinical Centre, Fundação Champalimaud, Lisbon, Portugal. 8. Institute of Psychiatric Research, Sisters Hospitallers, Bilbao, Spain. 9. Centro De Día Villaverde, Línea De Rehabilitación, Sisters Hospitallers, Madrid, Spain. 10. Vila San Benedetto, Sisters Hospitallers, Albese con Casano, Italy. 11. Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands. 12. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Leonard Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, USA. 13. Casa de Saúde da Idanha, Sisters Hospitallers, Lisbon, Portugal. 14. University of the Basque Country, UPV/EHU, Leioa, Spain. 15. Cochrane Associated Group UPV/EHU, Leioa, Spain. 16. Centro De Rehabilitacion Psicosocial Aranjuez, Línea De Rehabilitación, Sisters Hospitallers, Madrid, Spain. 17. Cochrane Associated Group UPV/EHU, Leioa, Spain. eduardo.gonzalez@unir.net. 18. International University of La Rioja (UNIR), C/ Gran Vía Rey Juan Carlos I, 41, 26002, Logroño, La Rioja, Spain. eduardo.gonzalez@unir.net.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Research shows that personnel working in mental health facilities may share some of the societal prejudices towards mental illness. This might result in stigmatizing behaviours towards people suffering from mental disorders, undermining the quality of their care. AIMS: To describe and compare attitudes towards mental illness across a sample of professionals working in a wide range of mental health facilities in Spain, Portugal and Italy. METHOD: We administered a survey to personnel including two questionnaires related to stigmatizing attitudes: The Community Attitudes toward the Mentally Ill (CAMI) and the Attribution Questionnaire (AQ-27). Data were compared according to professional category, work setting and country. RESULTS: 34.06% (1525) professionals of the surveyed population responded adequately. Psychologists and social therapists had the most positive attitudes, and nursing assistants the most negative, on most factors of CAMI and AQ-27. Community staff had more positive attitudes than hospital-based professionals in most factors on CAMI and in discriminatory responses on AQ-27. CONCLUSIONS: Globally, mental health professionals showed a positive attitude towards mental illness, but also a relative support to coercive treatments. There are differences in attitudes modulated by professional category and setting. Results can guide preventive strategies, particularly for the hospital-based and nursing staff.
BACKGROUND: Research shows that personnel working in mental health facilities may share some of the societal prejudices towards mental illness. This might result in stigmatizing behaviours towards people suffering from mental disorders, undermining the quality of their care. AIMS: To describe and compare attitudes towards mental illness across a sample of professionals working in a wide range of mental health facilities in Spain, Portugal and Italy. METHOD: We administered a survey to personnel including two questionnaires related to stigmatizing attitudes: The Community Attitudes toward the Mentally Ill (CAMI) and the Attribution Questionnaire (AQ-27). Data were compared according to professional category, work setting and country. RESULTS: 34.06% (1525) professionals of the surveyed population responded adequately. Psychologists and social therapists had the most positive attitudes, and nursing assistants the most negative, on most factors of CAMI and AQ-27. Community staff had more positive attitudes than hospital-based professionals in most factors on CAMI and in discriminatory responses on AQ-27. CONCLUSIONS: Globally, mental health professionals showed a positive attitude towards mental illness, but also a relative support to coercive treatments. There are differences in attitudes modulated by professional category and setting. Results can guide preventive strategies, particularly for the hospital-based and nursing staff.
Entities:
Keywords:
Health personnel attitude; Mental health professionals; Mental illness; Social distance; Stigma
Authors: Andrea Lettieri; Felipe Soto-Pérez; Emiliano Díez; Mara Bernate-Navarro; Manuel Franco-Martín Journal: Brain Behav Date: 2022-09-13 Impact factor: 3.405