Conference paper
HARNESSING THE POWER OF FILM TO COMBAT MENTAL HEALTH STIGMA. A UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON PSYCHIATRY SOCIETY EVENT
Samara Linton
; University College London Psychiatry Society, London, UK
Ahmed Hankir
; Department of Psychiatry, Carrick Institute for Graduate Studies, Cape Canaveral, FL, USA; Bedfordshire Centre for Mental Health Research in association with the University of Cambridge (BCMHR-CU), Cambridge, UK; Leeds York Partnership Foundation Trust, Leeds, UK
Sal Anderson
; Film, London College of Communication, University of Arts, London, UK
Frederick R. Carrick
; Bedfordshire Centre for Mental Health Research in association with the University of Cambridge (BCMHR-CU), Cambridge, UK; Carrick Institute for Graduate Studies, Cape Canaveral, FL, USA; Harvard Macy and MGH Institutes, Boston, MA, USA
Rashid Zaman
; Bedfordshire Centre for Mental Health Research in association with the University of Cambridge (BCMHR-CU), Cambridge, UK; Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
Abstract
Aims: To conduct a pilot study on a motion picture based, anti-stigma programme entitled, "The Wounded Healer film" to measure if it is associated with any changes in stigma variables in healthcare students and if it encouraged care seeking in this group.
Background: The 2008 Stigma Shout Survey of almost 4000 people using mental health services and carers revealed that healthcare professionals are a common source of stigma reported by people with mental illness. Psychological problems are common in medical students and doctors, however, thelevel of care seeking in this group is low. Fear of exposure to stigmatization is a crucial barrier to accessing and using mental health services. Recent research has revealed that film-based interventions can be used to challenge mental health stigma and encourage care seeking.
Methods: We conducted a single-arm, pre-post comparison study on students who attended the Wounded Healer film at a
University College London Psychiatry Society event (n=11). Before and after exposure to the film, students were asked to complete validated stigma scales that measured mental health-related knowledge, attitudes and behaviours. Responses were on a Likert scale and participants also provided free free-text comments which were subjected to thematic analyses.
Results: There was a statistically significant difference in the mental health-related knowledge pre-intervention score compared
to the post-intervention score (p=0.0322). All participants either strongly agreed or agreed with the post-evaluation statement, "I feel inspired to raise awareness of the importance of mental health and to take action to challenge stigma."
Conclusion: This pilot study provides provisional support that The Wounded Healer film may be associated with reductions in
stigma variables in healthcare students and encourage them to seek care for their own psychological problems. More robust
research in this area is needed before we can scale up such an initiative.
Keywords
stigma; mental illness; medical students; film
Hrčak ID:
263710
URI
Publication date:
15.6.2017.
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