Evaluation of Stigmatizing Attitudes of Physicians Towards Bipolar Affective Disorders

Year 2021, Volume: 11 Issue: 1, 82 - 88, 21.01.2021

Oğuzhan Kılınçel , Rukiye Ay

https://doi.org/10.33631/duzcesbed.830836

Abstract

Aim: There are not many studies related to the attitude of healthcare workers towards bipolar patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the attitudes of psychiatrists and other physicians towards patients with bipolar disorder, and our secondary aim was to evaluate the possible relationship between physicians' attitudes towards bipolar disorder patients and their sociodemographic characteristics.
Material and Methods: A total of 514 volunteers; psychiatrists (n=67), family physicians (n=156) and other branches (n=291) were included in the study in March 2019 via an online questionnaire. A structured questionnaire was administered to all participants. The questions were recorded by asking questions about bipolar disorder.
Results: A total of 514 volunteers, including psychiatrists (n=67), family physicians (n=156), and other branches (n=291), were included in our study. As a result of our study, it was observed that 21% of family physicians and 32% of physicians from other branches did not feel comfortable while examining patients with bipolar disorder and it was observed that it was significantly higher than psychiatrists (6%). Compared to psychiatrists (4%), it was reported that family physicians (30%) and other specialists (30%) would feel uncomfortable working with someone with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder.
Conclusion: Psychiatrists displayed more positive attitudes than family physicians and other branches. Education, which is emphasized to prevent stigmatizing attitudes, is perhaps the most important reason for this. Decreasing negative attitudes towards bipolar patients among healthcare professionals may decrease patients' self-concealment and increase hospital admission and treatment compliance in cases of physical and mental illness. With the decrease in the stigmatizing attitudes of physicians against this disease, the social and professional functionality of the patients will increase and will provide important gains in terms of community mental health.

Keywords

Bipolar disorder, physicians' role, psychiatry

Hekimlerin Bipolar Afektif Bozukluğa Karşı Damgalayıcı Tutumların Değerlendirilmesi

Abstract

Amaç: Damgalama, bir işaret ya da özelliğin sonucu olarak insanları değersizleştiren sosyal bir yapıdır. Bipolar bozukluk toplumda sıkça görülen ataklarla seyreden kronik bir hastalıktır. Sağlık çalışanlarının bipolar hastalara karşı tutumuyla ilişkili çok fazla çalışma bulunmamaktadır. Bu çalışmanın amacı psikiyatristler ve diğer hekimlerin bipolar bozukluk tanılı hastalara karşı tutumunu değerlendirmek, ikincil amacımız ise hekimlerin bipolar bozukluk tanılı hastalara karşı tutumlarının hekimlerin sosyodemografik özellikleriyle olası ilişkisini değerlendirmektir.
Gereç ve Yöntemler: Mart 2019'da online anket aracılığıyla toplam 514 gönüllü psikiyatrist (n=67), aile hekimi (n=156) ve diğer branşlardan hekimler (n=291) çalışmaya dahil edildi. Tüm katılımcılara yapılandırılmış bir anket uygulandı. Bipolar bozukluk hakkında sorular sorarak kayıt altına alındı.
Bulgular: Çalışmamıza psikiyatri uzmanları (n=67), aile hekimleri (n=156), diğer branşlar (n=291) olmak üzere toplam 514 gönüllü dahil edildi. Çalışmamız sonucunda aile hekimlerinin %21 ve diğer branşlardan hekimlerin %32 oranında bipolar bozukluk tanısı olan hastaları muayene ederken rahat hissetmediği ve psikiyatri hekimlerinden (%6) anlamlı olarak yüksek gözlendi. Aile hekimlerinin (%30) ve diğer branş hekimlerinin (%30), bipolar bozukluk tanısı olan birisi ile çalışmaktan rahatsızlık duyacağını psikiyatristler (%4) ile karşılaştırıldığında daha yüksek oranlarda bildirmişlerdir
Sonuç: Psikiyatristler aile hekimleri ve diğer branşlara göre daha olumlu tutum sergilemişlerdir. Damgalayıcı tutumların önlemek için üzerinde durulan eğitim belki bunun en önemli nedenidir. Sağlık çalışanlarında bipolar hastalara karşı olumsuz tutumların azalması hastaların kendini gizlemelerini azaltıp, fiziksel ve ruhsal hastalık durumlarında hastane başvurusu ve tedavi uyumunu arttırabilir. Bu hastalığa karşı hekimlerin damgalayıcı tutumların azalması ile hastaların sosyal ve mesleki işlevsellikleri arttıracak ve toplum ruh sağlığı açısından önemli kazanımlar sağlayacaktır.

Keywords

Psikiyatrist, Bipolar bozukluk, hekimin rolü

References

• 1. Rao H, Mahadevappa H, Pillay P, Sessay M, Abraham A, Luty J. A study of stigmatized attitudes towards people with mental health problems among health professionals. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing. 2009; 16(3): 279-84.
• 2. Doğanavşargil Baysal GÖ. Stigmatization and mental health. Archives Medical Review Journal. 2013; 22: 239–51.
• 3. Horsfall J, Cleary M, Hunt GE. Stigma in mental health: clients and professionals. Issues in Mental Health Nursing. 2010; 31(7): 450-5.
• 4. Corrigan PW, Wassel A. Understanding and influencing the stigma of mental illness. Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services. 2008; 46(1): 42-8.
• 5. Muhlbauer S. Experience of stigma by families with mentally ill members. Journal of the American Psychiatric Nurses. 2002; 8(3): 76-83.
• 6. Picco L, Pang S, Lau YW, Jeyagurunathan A, Satghare P, Abdin E, et al. Internalized stigma among psychiatric outpatients: Associations with quality of life, functioning, hope and self-esteem. Psychiatry Research. 2016; 246: 500-6.
• 7. Howland M, Levin J, Blixen C, Tatsuoka C, Sajatovic M. Mixed-methods analysis of internalized stigma correlates in poorly adherent individuals with bipolar disorder. Comprehensive Psychiatry. 2016; 70: 174-80.
• 8. Nilsson KK, Kugathasan P, Straarup KN. Characteristics, correlates and outcomes of perceived stigmatization in bipolar disorder patients. Journal of Affective Disorders. 2016; 194: 196-201.
• 9. Sarısoy G, Kaçar ÖF, Pazvantoğlu O, Korkmaz IZ, Öztürk A, Akkaya D, et al. Internalized stigma and intimate relations in bipolar and schizophrenic patients: a comparative study. Comprehensive Psychiatry. 2013; 54(6): 665-72.
• 10. Proudfoot JG, Parker GB, Benoit M, Manicavasagar V, Smith M, Gayed A. What happens after diagnosis? Understanding the experiences of patients with newly-diagnosed bipolar disorder. Health expectations: An International Journal of Public Participation in Health Care and Health Policy. 2009; 12(2): 120-9.
• 11. Sukhera J, Miller K, Milne A, Scerbo C, Lim R, Cooper A, et al. Labelling of mental illness in a paediatric emergency department and its implications for stigma reduction education. Perspectives on Medical Education. 2017; 6(3): 165-72.
• 12. Ünal S, Hisar F, Özgüven Z. Üniversite öğrencilerinin ruhsal hastalığa yönelik inançları. Dusunen Adam: The Journal of Psychiatry and Neurological Sciences. 2010; 23(3): 145-50.
• 13. Eksteen HC, Becker PJ, Lippi G. Stigmatization towards the mentally ill: perceptions of psychiatrists, pre-clinical and post-clinical rotation medical students. The International Journal of Social Psychiatry. 2017; 63(8): 782-91.
• 14. Kochański A, Cechnicki A. The attitudes of psychiatrists toward people suffering from mental illnesses. Psychiatra Polska. 2017; 51(1): 29-44.
• 15. Ozmen E, Ogel K, Sagduyu A, Tamar D, Boratav C, Aker T. The knowledge and attitudes of the specialists about mental disorders. Anatolian Journal of Psychiatry. 2003; 4(1): 5-12.
• 16. Arkar H. Akıl hastasının sosyal reddedilimi. Düşünen Adam. 1991; 4(3): 6-9.
• 17. Angermeyer MC, Matschinger H. Public beliefs about schizophrenia and depression: similarities and differences. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology. 2003; 38(9): 526-34.
• 18. Çam O, Bilge A. Attitudes, beliefs toward mental illness. Anatolian Journal of Psychiatry. 2007; 8(3): 215-23.
• 19. Dickerson FB, Sommerville J, Origoni AE, Ringel NB, Parente F. Experiences of stigma among outpatients with schizophrenia. Schizophrenia Bulletin. 2002; 28(1): 143-55.
• 20. Uçok A, Polat A, Sartorius N, Erkoc S, Atakli C. Attitudes of psychiatrists toward patients with schizophrenia. Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences. 2004; 58(1): 89-91.
• 21. Stuber JP, Rocha A, Christian A, Link BG. Conceptions of mental illness: attitudes of mental health professionals and the general public. Psychiatric Services. 2014; 65(4): 490-7.
• 22. Hori H, Richards M, Kawamoto Y, Kunugi H. Attitudes toward schizophrenia in the general population, psychiatric staff, physicians, and psychiatrists: a web-based survey in Japan. Psychiatry Research. 2011; 186(2-3): 183-9.
• 23. Saillard EK. Psychiatrist views on stigmatization toward people with mental illness and recommendations. Turk Psikiyatri Dergisi. 2010; 21(1): 14-24.
• 24. Ozer U, Varlik C, Ceri V, Ince B, Arslan Delice M. Change starts with us: Stigmatizing attitudes towards mental illnesses and the use of stigmatizing language among mental health professionals. Dusunen Adam: The Journal of Psychiatry and Neurological Sciences. 2017; 30(3): 224.
• 25. Fujii T, Hanya M, Kishi M, Kondo Y, Cates ME, Kamei H. An internet-based survey in Japan concerning social distance and stigmatization toward the mentally ill among doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and the general public. Asian Journal of Psychiatry. 2018; 36: 1-7.
• 26. Kılınçel O, Kılınçel Ş, Gündüz C, Cangür Ş, Akkaya C. Klozapinin hızlı döngülü bipolar afektif bozuklukta duygudurum düzenleyicisi olarak rolü. Turk Psikiyatri Dergisi. 2019; 30(4): 268-71.