Samar M.A. Attaelfadeel
University of Khartoum, Sudan
Title: Effect of psychiatry course on medical students’ attitude towards mental illness and psychiatry at University of Khartoum, 2017
Biography
Biography: Samar M.A. Attaelfadeel
Abstract
Statement of the Problem: Studies found that there is stigma of mental illness among doctors and medical students. This will affect the care and treatment provided by doctors for their patients. The rate of undergraduates pursuing psychiatry as post-graduates has been declining in the course of recent years leading to a decrease in the number of therapists. This creates a treatment gap, especially in developing countries. The purpose of this study is to assess medical students’ attitude towards mental illness before and after the psychiatry course, and to determine the percentage of students who would like to become psychiatrists before and after the course.
Methodology & Theoretical Orientation: An analytical cross-sectional, institutional-based study was conducted. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to fourth year medical students at the University of Khartoum before and after the psychiatry course. MICA-2 scale was used to assess attitude towards mental illness. Statistical analysis was done using Google Form and SPSS including Independent t-test, Chi-square and analysis of variance test.
Findings: 298 students participated (83%) before and 217 students participated both before and after (60.61%). The results showed that there was a significant change in MICA-2 score mean with P value 0.002. The percentage of students interested in psychiatry as a career did not change significantly. Less than 30% considered psychiatry seriously as their future career both before and after the course.
Conclusion and Significance: Stigma of mental illness can be reduced and attitude can be improved through medical education. Attitude towards mental illness improved after the psychiatry course but the interest in psychiatry as a future career did not change. Recommendations are to do further research to be a guide for psychiatrists in order to improve the gain from the psychiatry courses in changing students’ attitude, and to increase recruitment to psychiatry.