Tosson, E., Abdo, H., Nour Eldein, H., Atta, M. (2022). Assessment of Adult Attitude towards Mental Illness among Attendees of Family Medicine Outpatient Clinic at Suez Canal University Hospital, Ismailia Governorate, Egypt. Suez Canal University Medical Journal, 25(3), 77-88. doi: 10.21608/scumj.2022.260916
Eman E. Tosson; Hanan A. Abdo; Hebatallah Nour Eldein; Menna S. Atta. "Assessment of Adult Attitude towards Mental Illness among Attendees of Family Medicine Outpatient Clinic at Suez Canal University Hospital, Ismailia Governorate, Egypt". Suez Canal University Medical Journal, 25, 3, 2022, 77-88. doi: 10.21608/scumj.2022.260916
Tosson, E., Abdo, H., Nour Eldein, H., Atta, M. (2022). 'Assessment of Adult Attitude towards Mental Illness among Attendees of Family Medicine Outpatient Clinic at Suez Canal University Hospital, Ismailia Governorate, Egypt', Suez Canal University Medical Journal, 25(3), pp. 77-88. doi: 10.21608/scumj.2022.260916
Tosson, E., Abdo, H., Nour Eldein, H., Atta, M. Assessment of Adult Attitude towards Mental Illness among Attendees of Family Medicine Outpatient Clinic at Suez Canal University Hospital, Ismailia Governorate, Egypt. Suez Canal University Medical Journal, 2022; 25(3): 77-88. doi: 10.21608/scumj.2022.260916
Assessment of Adult Attitude towards Mental Illness among Attendees of Family Medicine Outpatient Clinic at Suez Canal University Hospital, Ismailia Governorate, Egypt
Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University, Egypt
Abstract
Background: Although mental health care has improved significantly over the last decades, many people still choose not to seek treatment due to stigma. Aim: To improve attitude towards mental illness. Subjects and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conductedon 215participantsaged >18 years whoattended the Family Medicine outpatient clinic of SCU Hospital, Ismailia, Egyptto assess attitudes towards mental disorders and their association with their socio-demographic characteristics. Semi-structured questionnaires were used to collect data on demographic, socioeconomic status, and attitudes to Mental Illness. Results: Our study included 215 patients with a mean age of 47±13.4 years. About three-quarters of the participants were females (71.6%). It was found that the recruited participants had negative attitudes concerning the fear and exclusion of people with mental illness (19.03 ± 3.86). However, they had a more positive attitude towards causes of mental illness and the need for special services, integration of people with mental illness into the community, and understanding of mental illness (11.14 ± 2.02, 25.02 ± 4.09, 27.38 ± 3.41) respectively. Moreover, gender, crowding index, and socioeconomic status were significantly associated with participants' fear of and exclusion of people with mental illness where P values were (0.033, 0.023, 0.041) respectively. Conclusion: Although theAttitude toward mental illness was variable. The study highlights a huge understanding and tolerance towards mental illness and integrating patients with mental illness into the community. Anti-stigma programs are needed to boost people's acceptance of mental illness and strategies to increase social contact of the public with the mentally-ill should be considered.