scholarly journals ATTITUDES TOWARDS ECT: A SURVEY OF POLISH MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Antosik-Wójcińska ◽  
Gabor Gazdag ◽  
Łukasz Święcicki ◽  
Beata Majtczak ◽  
Janusz Rybakowski ◽  
...  

Background: Although the efficacy of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) has been well established, the utilization rate of ECT has decreased in Poland in recent years. One of the main reasons could be the negative attitude towards ECT in the community and by mental health professionals. The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge about and attitudes toward ECT in Polish mental health professionals including psychiatrists and non-physicians: nurses, psychologists, social workers.Subject and methods: Psychiatrists and other mental health professionals in two large Polish hospitals were approached to participate in the survey by completing a 28-item questionnaire. The specific hospitals have been selected due to the fact that they were located in the same province of Poland (Mazowsze), had similar catchment area and profile, provided similar mental health services with only one exception; one offered ECT while the other did not. Of the 185 questionnaires that had been distributed, 165 were completed yielding a response rate of 89.19%. The study population consists of 85 psychiatrists and trainees and 80 nonphysicians.Results: Psychiatrists did not differ from other mental health professionals with respect to the knowledge and attitudes toward ECT. However, there were significant differences in the attitude (9.1±3.8 vs 7.1±3.3; p<0.001) and knowledge (5.9±3.8 vs 2.8±4.1; p<0.001) scores between those professionals, who have ever worked in a psychiatric ward where they could observe ECT sessions and those who have not had such an opportunity.Conclusions: Frequent witnessing of ECT sessions seems to be the most effective educational intervention to change negative attitudes towards ECT.

2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. s843-s843
Author(s):  
K. Vaiphei ◽  
P. Sreedaran ◽  
V. Sathyanarayanan

AimsStudies investigating attitudes of people with mental illness are scarce. The aim of the present study was to investigate person living with psychosis on their attitudes and perception towards the mental health professionals in contact with mental health services.MethodsAn in-depth interview was used to explore their lived experiences and attitude towards mental health professionals.ResultsBoth negative and positive attitudes were prevalent among the patients. Most negative attitudes concerned on not giving time, the MHPs are most interested in financial gains. They felt attitude changes according to diagnosis, psychosis perceived as diagnosis with violence; they are more interested in protecting themselves, perception that treating symptoms and not cause of illness. On the contrary, they felt positive on the relationship and time given to them.Discussion and conclusions The PLWI's attitude to MHPs could be a product of the type of admission (forced upon), symptoms related or on the type of service settings. The present study is purely qualitative, single settings, could not be generalised. However it points on the need for sensitization of MHPs and relationship building oriented intervention.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.


2006 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
pp. 36-41 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony F. Jorm ◽  
Helen Christensen ◽  
Kathleen M. Griffiths

Objective: A national survey of Australian adults in 1995 showed a low level of recognition of mental disorders and beliefs about treatment that were often discordant with those of professionals. The present study aimed to find out whether recognition and treatment beliefs have changed over 8 years. Method: A national survey of 2001 adults in 2003–2004 included the same questions as the 1995 survey. These interview questions were based on a vignette of a person with either depression or schizophrenia. Results: Over the 8 years, the public showed better recognition of depression and schizophrenia and gave more positive ratings to a range of interventions, including help from mental health professionals, medications, psychotherapy and psychiatric ward admission. Conclusions: The Australian public's beliefs have changed over 8 years to be more like those of mental health professionals. This change may have positive implications for helpseeking and treatment concordance.


2014 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 190-202 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan Patterson ◽  
Pauline Ford

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to inform education of non-mental health professionals who provide care to people with severe mental illness; to describe dentistry students’ knowledge and views about mental illness, including willingness to engage in various social situations with a person hospitalised for mental illness; and to assess and understand the impact of a targeted lecture on views and attitudes. Design/methodology/approach – The paper employed mixed methods to examine dental students’ knowledge and views about mental disorder before and after a seminar covering mental disorder, disadvantage and oral health. Findings from a bespoke questionnaire administered to third-year dental students were triangulated with qualitative data gathered in interviews with a subsample. Findings – Students understood mental disorder broadly, employing diverse causal models. Although knowledge was typically grounded in media stereotypes, attitudes were benevolent and most students reported willingness to provide dental care to affected individuals. The seminar, especially the consumer delivered section, was valued and associated with increased appreciation of the impact of mental disorder on oral health and need for assertive action to promote access to care. However, students reported being reluctant to disclose their own mental health problems for fear of being considered a professional or personal failure. A minority knew how to seek support if a friend talked of suicide. Research limitations/implications – This study highlights the need for further investigation of the knowledge and attitudes of dentistry students pertinent to provision of care to people with mental illness and to examine the links between attitudes and practice. The paper also provides a useful foundation for development of brief educational interventions, particularly the value in integrating the service user perspective, and their evaluation. Research should also examine the impact of mental health education on practice. Practical implications – A single inexpensive educational session, such as the one the paper developed may support reconsideration of often unconscious views of mental illness which might affect practice. Social implications – If people with mental illness are to receive equitable access to health care, non-mental health professionals should be supported to develop knowledge and attitudes which are conducive to inclusive treatment. An education session such as this could be helpful. Originality/value – There is scant literature examining attitudes of dentistry students and no reports of mental health-specific education with this population.


2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (6) ◽  
pp. 699-708
Author(s):  
Rocío Juliá‐Sanchis ◽  
Maria José Cabañero‐Martínez ◽  
María Francisca Zaragoza‐Martí ◽  
Sofía García‐Sanjuán

Author(s):  
Denise Erbuto ◽  
Isabella Berardelli ◽  
Salvatore Sarubbi ◽  
Elena Rogante ◽  
Alice Sparagna ◽  
...  

Inadequate knowledge of the potential signs and risk factors of suicide negatively affects the ability of healthcare professionals to recognize patients at risk of suicide. The principal aim of the present study is to assess the attitudes and knowledge about suicide in a large sample of mental health professionals. We examined the relationship between Suicide Knowledge and Skills Questionnaire items and the experience of a patient dying by suicide. We also examined whether various healthcare professionals respond differently to the items of the Impact of a Patient’s Suicide on Professional and Personal Lives Scale. Results demonstrated that healthcare professionals who had experienced a patient suicide reported greater skills than professionals who had not experienced a patient suicide. However, 44% of professionals who had experienced a patient suicide felt that they did not have adequate training on this particular issue. Among those who had experienced a patient suicide, there was an increased tendency to hospitalize patients with suicide risk and an increased use of collegial consultation. Concerning personal emotions, healthcare professionals reported troubled relationships with family members and friends and the loss of self-esteem. In conclusion, better knowledge and attitudes about suicide are necessary for suicide-prevention strategies.


2015 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 423-430 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Bhugra ◽  
N. Sartorius ◽  
A. Fiorillo ◽  
S. Evans-Lacko ◽  
A. Ventriglio ◽  
...  

AbstractStigma against mental illness and the mentally ill is well known. However, stigma against psychiatrists and mental health professionals is known but not discussed widely. Public attitudes and also those of other professionals affect recruitment into psychiatry and mental health services. The reasons for this discriminatory attitude are many and often not dissimilar to those held against mentally ill individuals. In this Guidance paper we present some of the factors affecting the image of psychiatry and psychiatrists which is perceived by the public at large. We look at the portrayal of psychiatry, psychiatrists in the media and literature which may affect attitudes. We also explore potential causes and explanations and propose some strategies in dealing with negative attitudes. Reduction in negative attitudes will improve recruitment and retention in psychiatry. We recommend that national psychiatric societies and other stakeholders, including patients, their families and carers, have a major and significant role to play in dealing with stigma, discrimination and prejudice against psychiatry and psychiatrists.


Sexes ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 32-38
Author(s):  
Alex Gizunterman ◽  
Maya Szczupak ◽  
Tanya Schechter ◽  
Yoav Kohn

The prevalence of children and adolescents who identify themselves as transgender is significant. Transgender youth are at a high risk for mental health problems, sometimes requiring hospitalization in a psychiatric ward. This situation is specifically complex and should be considered by all mental health professionals. In this case report, we describe the challenges that emerged during hospitalization of a transgender adolescent, followed by descriptions of our attempts to cope with these particular issues.


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