Beatriz V de Campos, Bárbara Almeida, Laetitia Teixeira, Alice Lopes
{"title":"Stigma towards mental illness in Portuguese students of the integrated master's degrees in medicine, veterinary medicine and pharmaceutical sciences.","authors":"Beatriz V de Campos, Bárbara Almeida, Laetitia Teixeira, Alice Lopes","doi":"10.1177/00207640251353681","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Stigma towards mental illness is a problem faced by health science professionals, acting as a barrier to providing care and seeking help.</p><p><strong>Aims: </strong>The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare social stigma among Medical, Pharmacy and Veterinary students from the same university campus and assess the impact of their respective curricula on stigma levels.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>We performed an observational cross-sectional study, involving first and final-year students of the Integrated Master's in Medicine, Veterinary Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, from two Institutions of the University of Porto, Portugal. An online self-report questionnaire, using the preliminary Portuguese version of the Attribution Questionnaire AQ-27, was employed. Additionally, a brief sociodemographic questionnaire was administered, also inquiring about close contact with mental illness.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 182 students were considered for analysis. In terms of comparative analysis, first-year pharmacy students exhibited a higher score in the Segregation dimension compared to first-year veterinary medicine and final-year medicine students (<i>p</i> < .001). Younger age and a lower level of education corresponded to higher mean scores in the dimensions of Avoidance (<i>p</i> = .006 and .008) and Segregation (<i>p</i> < .001 for both). However, older students exhibited a lower mean score in the Pity dimension (<i>p</i> = .009). Students who did not report any close relationship with mental health problems demonstrate a higher mean score in the Avoidance dimension (<i>p</i> = .041), whereas those who cohabited with individuals with mental health problems demonstrated a lower mean score in the Segregation dimension (<i>p</i> = .014).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This study emphasises the importance of critically design health sciences curricula to address mental health stigma, suggesting that structured evidence-based anti-stigma interventions, particularly those fostering empathy, may be essential to improve students' attitudes and promote more compassionate future healthcare practice.</p>","PeriodicalId":14304,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Social Psychiatry","volume":" ","pages":"207640251353681"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7000,"publicationDate":"2025-07-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"International Journal of Social Psychiatry","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1177/00207640251353681","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"PSYCHIATRY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background: Stigma towards mental illness is a problem faced by health science professionals, acting as a barrier to providing care and seeking help.
Aims: The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare social stigma among Medical, Pharmacy and Veterinary students from the same university campus and assess the impact of their respective curricula on stigma levels.
Method: We performed an observational cross-sectional study, involving first and final-year students of the Integrated Master's in Medicine, Veterinary Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, from two Institutions of the University of Porto, Portugal. An online self-report questionnaire, using the preliminary Portuguese version of the Attribution Questionnaire AQ-27, was employed. Additionally, a brief sociodemographic questionnaire was administered, also inquiring about close contact with mental illness.
Results: A total of 182 students were considered for analysis. In terms of comparative analysis, first-year pharmacy students exhibited a higher score in the Segregation dimension compared to first-year veterinary medicine and final-year medicine students (p < .001). Younger age and a lower level of education corresponded to higher mean scores in the dimensions of Avoidance (p = .006 and .008) and Segregation (p < .001 for both). However, older students exhibited a lower mean score in the Pity dimension (p = .009). Students who did not report any close relationship with mental health problems demonstrate a higher mean score in the Avoidance dimension (p = .041), whereas those who cohabited with individuals with mental health problems demonstrated a lower mean score in the Segregation dimension (p = .014).
Conclusion: This study emphasises the importance of critically design health sciences curricula to address mental health stigma, suggesting that structured evidence-based anti-stigma interventions, particularly those fostering empathy, may be essential to improve students' attitudes and promote more compassionate future healthcare practice.
背景:对精神疾病的污名化是卫生科学专业人员面临的一个问题,是提供护理和寻求帮助的障碍。目的:本研究的目的是评估和比较来自同一大学校园的医学、药学和兽医专业学生的社会耻辱感,并评估他们各自课程对耻辱感水平的影响。方法:我们进行了一项观察性横断面研究,涉及来自葡萄牙波尔图大学两个研究所的医学、兽医学和药学综合硕士专业的一年级和最后一年级学生。采用葡萄牙语初步版归因问卷AQ-27的在线自我报告问卷。此外,还进行了一份简短的社会人口调查问卷,也询问了与精神疾病密切接触的情况。结果:共考虑182名学生进行分析。在比较分析方面,药学一年级学生在隔离维度上的得分高于兽医学一年级和医学最后一年级学生(p p =)。006和0.008)和隔离(p p = 0.009)。与心理健康问题没有密切关系的学生在回避维度上表现出较高的平均得分(p = 0.041),而与有心理健康问题的人同居的学生在隔离维度上表现出较低的平均得分(p = 0.014)。结论:本研究强调了批判性地设计健康科学课程来解决心理健康污名的重要性,表明结构化的基于证据的反污名干预措施,特别是那些培养同理心的干预措施,可能对改善学生的态度和促进未来更富有同情心的医疗保健实践至关重要。
期刊介绍:
The International Journal of Social Psychiatry, established in 1954, is a leading publication dedicated to the field of social psychiatry. It serves as a platform for the exchange of research findings and discussions on the influence of social, environmental, and cultural factors on mental health and well-being. The journal is particularly relevant to psychiatrists and multidisciplinary professionals globally who are interested in understanding the broader context of psychiatric disorders and their impact on individuals and communities.
Social psychiatry, as a discipline, focuses on the origins and outcomes of mental health issues within a social framework, recognizing the interplay between societal structures and individual mental health. The journal draws connections with related fields such as social anthropology, cultural psychiatry, and sociology, and is influenced by the latest developments in these areas.
The journal also places a special emphasis on fast-track publication for brief communications, ensuring that timely and significant research can be disseminated quickly. Additionally, it strives to reflect its international readership by publishing state-of-the-art reviews from various regions around the world, showcasing the diverse practices and perspectives within the psychiatric disciplines. This approach not only contributes to the scientific understanding of social psychiatry but also supports the global exchange of knowledge and best practices in mental health care.