Change in Medical Students' Opinions and Attitudes Towards Mental Illness

Objectives: To determine the opinions and attitudes of first and final year medical students towards mentally ill patients; to compare the attitudes of the two groups to see the effects of medical education and confronting of the patients, and to evaluate the stigmatization of the mentally ill by future medical professionals. Methods: A questionnaire comprising 19 questions regarding opinions and attitudes towards mental illness was administered to the first and final year medical students. Results: There were 308 students who filled out the questionnaire, which was 81% of the total of the first and final year students (n = 388). Observation and talking were the most common preferred choices in both of the groups, for recognizing a psychiatric patient (First year 55.1%; Final year 70.8%). The final year students felt more indifferent, less fear, and less compassion when they saw a psychiatric patient. Conclusions: It appears that there is stigmatization of mentally ill patients even among medical students, which could be decreased with the addition of lessons on stigmatization of mentally ill patients and more social intercourse with the patients. Methods: A questionnaire comprising 19 questions regarding opinions and attitudes towards mental illness was administered to the first and final year medical students. Results: There were 308 students who filled out the questionnaire, which was 81% of the total of the first and final year students (n = 388). Observation and talking were the most common preferred choices in both of the groups, for recognizing a psychiatric patient (First year 55.1%; Final year 70.8%). The final year students felt more indifferent, less fear, and less compassion when they saw a psychiatric patient. Conclusions: It appears that there is stigmatization of mentally ill patients even among medical students, which could be decreased with the addition of lessons on stigmatization of mentally ill patients and more social intercourse with the patients.