Nursing journal, Vol. 30 No. 1, 2025.
Izvorni znanstveni članak
https://doi.org/10.11608/sgnj.30.1.2
Perception of health professionals about patients with mental illness
Marija Hrga
; Zavod za hitnu medinicu Šibensko-kninske županije, Narodnog preporoda 1, Šibenik, Hrvatska
Ana Žepina Puzić
orcid.org/0000-0003-0261-7867
; Veleučilište u Šibeniku, Trg Andrije Hebranga 11, Šibenik, Hrvatska
*
* Dopisni autor.
Sažetak
Introduction: Mental health is a topic that has increasingly appeared in various public programs and awareness campaigns in recent years. Recently, greater emphasis has been placed on the destigmatization of mental illnesses and improving access to adequate healthcare.
Objective: The study aims to compare the attitudes of healthcare professionals working in psychiatry with those of healthcare professionals working in other areas towards patients with mental illnesses.
Participants and Methods: The study was designed as a cross-sectional survey. A snowball sampling method was used, and it included 167 participants. Of these, 67 participants were employed in psychiatric departments, while the remaining 100 worked in other departments (surgical, internal medicine, etc.). The research was conducted between April and July 2023.
Results: The results show significant differences in the perception of healthcare professionals working in psychiatry compared to their colleagues in other departments. Employees in psychiatry have a more positive attitude toward their work and do not feel less valued within the healthcare system. However, healthcare workers from other departments perceive them as less valuable, which is statistically significant (Z=4.05; P<0.001). The participants rarely mention that they learn about mental illnesses, doing so only when necessary, and they rarely explore additional materials (median 2.00).
It was not proven that patients with mental illnesses are perceived as more dangerous; both groups of participants agree that they are not inherently more dangerous than other patients (median 5.00). There is a statistically significant difference in attitudes towards the recovery of individuals with mental illnesses between healthcare workers in psychiatric departments and those in other departments (Z=2.89; P=0.004).
Discussion and Conclusion: The attitudes of healthcare professionals towards patients with mental illnesses significantly affect the quality of care. Education and the promotion of positive attitudes are key to reducing stigma, improving cooperation, and enhancing treatment outcomes.
Ključne riječi
attitudes; mental illnesses; perception; healthcare professional
Hrčak ID:
330033
URI
Datum izdavanja:
11.4.2025.
Posjeta: 0 *