Document Type : Original Article
Authors
Community Medicine, GMERS Medical College, Vadodara, Gujarat, India
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Worldwide, studies show negative attitude among medical students toward psychiatry
and mental illness. The knowledge of the attitude and awareness of the undergraduate medical students
toward psychiatry, mental health, and psychiatric disorders are most important as they are going to be
involved in the care of these patients either directly or indirectly during the later years of their careers.
AIM: This study aims to assess attitude toward psychiatry and mental illness among undergraduate
medical students.
METHODOLOGY: The responses of 67 medical students from the 6th semester (third professional
year) batch who completed their 2‑week clinical posting of psychiatry in 4th semester (i.e., second
professional year) were collected using validated questionnaires, attitude towards mental illness (AMI),
and attitude towards psychiatry (ATP) that assessed their attitudes to psychiatry and mental illness.
Double data entry and validation were done using EpiData and analysis using Epi Info software.
RESULTS: Median AMI score was 54 (out of maximum 100) showing a neutral AMI. Median ATP
score was 82 (out of maximum 150) also showing a neutral ATP. The theme‑wise analysis showed
that the attitude of students toward psychiatrist and psychiatry branch was relatively better compared
to their AMI.
CONCLUSION: Undergraduate students have a neutral attitude to psychiatry and mental illness.
More efforts are needed to change the attitude to favorable side.
Keywords
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