Original Research Article
Year: 2019 | Month: June | Volume: 9 | Issue: 6 | Pages: 252-259
Attitudes, Beliefs and Social Distances towards Persons with Mental Illness among Health Workers in Two Tertiary Healthcare Institutions in Akwa Ibom State, South-South Nigeria
Henry Effiong Jombo1, Alphonsus Udo Idung2, Victory Edet Iyanam2
1Department of Psychiatry, 2Department of Family Medicine,
Faculty of Clinical sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria
Corresponding Author: Henry Effiong Jombo
ABSTRACT
Background: Studies on attitudes towards mental illness among health workers in many countries and cultures worldwide have reported a high level of negative attitudes and social distance towards mental illness and the mentally ill persons.
Objective: To determine the attitudes of health workers towards mental illness and their preferred social distance from persons with mental illness in tertiary healthcare setting.
Methods: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study conducted on a sample of health workers in two tertiary healthcare setting. A convenience sample of 133 health workers completed the Beliefs towards Mental Illness scale (BMIS) and the modified Bogardus social distance scale.
Results: The mean age of respondents was 40.11 ± 9.0 years, consisting of 52.3% males and 47.7% females. The mean social distance from the mentally ill persons was 2.86±1.12. A high proportion of health workers held negative beliefs towards the mentally ill persons. The attitudes and social distance scores were significantly related the professional orientation of the workers, fear of dangerousness of the mentally ill persons and family history of mental illness.
Conclusion: Negative beliefs, attitudes and high social distances towards persons with mental illness is prevalent among health workers and it is detrimental to effective delivery of health care services. These beliefs and attitudes are amenable to psychiatric education and training. Hence, continuing medical education for all health workers is recommended.
Key words: Mental illness, stigmatizing attitudes, social distance, health workers, Nigeria