Attitudes of hospital staff toward mentally ill patients in a teaching hospital, Turkey

The aim of this study was to examine the attitudes of hospital staff toward major mental diseases: schizophrenia and depression. Negative attitudes were common among all of the hospital staff, and were more common among academicians, resident physicians and nurses. Causes of attitude variations were discussed. Background: Attitudes of hospital staff are important for admission, early diagnosis and treatment, and the rehabilitation process of mentally ill patients. Aims: The main objective of this study was to investigate and compare hospital workers' attitudes toward and knowledge of schizophrenia and depression. Methods: In 2001, a total of 160 hospital staff (40 academicians, 40 resident physicians, 40 nurses and 40 hospital employees) in a teaching hospital were interviewed with a questionnaire. The questionnaire included items about background information, a one-paragraph vignette, questions on social distance and expected burden, recognition of mental illness, hospitalization, prognostic outcome, and to whom and where the patient should be admitted. Results: Although academicians, resident physicians, and nurses have sufficient knowledge about schizophrenia and depression, the frequency of their negative attitudes towards mentally ill subjects was more than that for uneducated hospital employees. Conclusions: It was commented that this difference might be as a result of negative effects of the medical education system.