Influencia del estigma asociado a la enfermedad mental en los profesionales sanitarios de Extremadura

Resumen

Mental health problems represent almost the 40% of the years lived with disability. They are broad-ranging, long-lasting and a major source of discrimination, significantly contributing to several forms of inequality, including health inequalities, whereby healthcare professional themselves show certain stigmatising attitudes/behaviours that affect the quality of care for psychiatric patients. MAIN OBJECTIVE: to analyse the attitudes of health professionals in Extremadura towards mental health conditions and the repercussions they have on the socio-sanitary care of the chronic mental health patient. METHOD: Two types of studies are carried out: a quantitative cross-sectional descriptive observational study in a sample of 579 health professionals and 72 nursing students. The validated CAMI questionnaire is used. VARIABLES: authoritarianism, social restraint, benevolence and ideology of mental health in the community and an ethnographic study of professionals, mental health residents and nursing students from a 330-bed center for severe mental disorders. RESULTS: Students showed fewer stigmatising attitudes/behaviours than consultants, but no significant differences were observed between groups. Those working on mental health and who have more contact with psychiatric patients show more restrictive and authoritarian attitudes unintentionally, regardless of training/education, which can be explained by safeguarding concerns and related practices. This has an impact on the care provided to the patient and is therefore of interest when planning future mental health provision and improving the quality of care.