Health professionals and misconceptions associate with patients with schizophrenia

Abstract

The literature shows that fighting against stigma with actions on a less grandiose scale seems to be more effective. (Sartorius, 2002)An example is interventions directed at medical personnel including psychiatrists, who are often important sources of stigmatization. The general public and even health professionals tend to hold a stereotyped image of those with schizophrenia. Before starting an educational program anti-stigma we consider important to know which are the most frequent misconceptions of medical personnel.

Aims:

This study want to assess the most frequent misconceptions associated with patients with schizophrenia between medical personnel.

Material and methods:

we applied a questionnaire to three groups: medical students before studying psychiatry, medical personnel working in psychiatric setting and health professionals in general hospital.

Results:

health professionals contribute to stigmatisation of mental illness, using inadequate terms in defining psychiatric affection and a inadequate attitude; the majority of third group don't understand mental illness and avoids contact with psychiatric patients.

Conclusions:

The study underlines the presence of misconceptions associated with patients with schizophrenia between health professionals and the results could be used for a concrete plan for fighting against stigma of this psychiatric disease.