Attitudes Towards Mental Illness among Healthcare Providers in Punjab: A Survey

ABSTRACT Background: The stigma associated with mental illness creates a significant barrier to effectively managing medical care. This study examines the attitudes of healthcare professionals in Punjab province towards individuals with mental illnesses. Objective: To find attitudes towards mental illness among healthcare providers in Punjab, Pakistan. Methodology: In various hospitals across Punjab, a cross-sectional survey was carried out, in which 120 questionnaires were disseminated, and 105 individuals consented to partake, resulting in a response rate of 87.5%. The study employed a standardized questionnaire known as the "Opening Minds Scale for Healthcare Providers (OMS-HC)" and data was collected between September 2019 and December 2019. Data were analyzed using SPSS-20.0. Results: Participants aged from 20 to 58 years with mean age were 31.66 ± .782. Most participants 46 (43.8%) were doctors, 43 (41%) were Nurses and 16 (15.2%) were consultant. Healthcare providers reported the highest level of stigma in the domain of "Attitude," followed by relatively lower levels in "Help-seeking and Disclosure" and even lower levels in "Social Distance." Conclusion: In summary, healthcare providers commonly experience stigma related to mental illness. Keywords: Mental health conditions; Stigmatization; Healthcare professionals; Beliefs; Social acceptance; Help-seeking behavior; Disclosure. Word count 191 Funding: No Conflict of interest: No