Acta Scientific Medical Sciences (ASMS)(ISSN: 2582-0931)

Research Article Volume 7 Issue 3

Outcomes of One-Time Contact Multi-Modal Educational Intervention on Mental Illness Stigma with Undergraduate Medical Students -Suez Canal University Hospital-Egypt

Ismail Dahshan1*, Menna Mohamed Saad1, Mohamed Mohamady Awad1, Hanan Abbas Abdo1, Omneya Youseef Ibrahim2 and Mohamed Abd El-Wahed1

1Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt
2Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt

*Corresponding Author: Ismail Dahshan, Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt.

Received: January 23, 2023; Published: February 06, 2023

Abstract

Background: For mentally ill patients, stigma is a severe problem. Unfortunately, stigmatizing behaviors against patients suffering from mental diseases are frequent not only among the general population but also among healthcare practitioners. Medical students share the same stereotypical views and attitudes towards mental ill patients. The results from anti-stigma educational interventions with undergraduate medical students are mixed. One time contact educational interventions proven to be as effective as traditional education methods in several studies. This study looked at the outcomes of a one-time contact multi-modal educational intervention given to fourth-year medical undergraduate students at Suez Canal University in Ismailia, Egypt, prior to their medical school's curriculum psychiatric rotation.

Aim: To examine the effects of a one-time, multi-modal educational intervention on undergraduate medical students' attitudes, knowledge, and behavior on stigma associated to mental illness.

Subjects and methods: A pre-post quasi-experimental study was done on 120 fourth-year undergraduate medical students from the Faculty of Medicine at Suez Canal University. The participants completed anonymously self-administered three validated scales with response values reported on a 5-point Likert scale before and after implementation of a multi-modal educational intervention consisting of 4- hour education including didactic methods and experiential learning methods by contact with people with lived mental disorders experience. The scales included; The Mental Health Knowledge Schedule (MAKS) comprises of six items used to assess mental health knowledge. A higher score represents more knowledge; the range is from 6 to 30. Beliefs toward Mental Illness Scale (BMI), which consists of 21 items to measure negative stereotypical views of mental illness and has a score range of 21 to 105, and a higher score reflects a less negative belief toward the mentally ill, and Reported and Intended Behaviour Scale (RIBS), which has a score range of 4 to 20, and a higher score indicates more favourable intended behavior. The outcome measures were evaluated at three points: baseline, immediately after the intervention, and six months later. Participation was totally voluntary, and consents were obtained for all participants students. Data was obtained throughout November 2019 and May 2020.

Results: The outcome measures scores expressed as median values were statistically significantly higher at both immediate and 6 months reassessment, compared with baseline scores. Mental health-related knowledge scores ( MAKS) were 17, 24, and 23, Beliefs toward mental illness scores ( BMI) were 49.5, 83, and 76.5, while Intended behavior scores ( RIBS) were 7, 31, and 28 at baseline , immediate after the intervention , and at 6 months follow up assessment, respectively.

Conclusion: According to the findings of this study, a one-time contact multi-modal educational intervention for mental illness stigma with medical undergraduate students resulted in favorable changes in their knowledge, beliefs, and planned behavior toward mentally ill patients immediately after the intervention, and these changes were maintained at a 6-month follow up. A combination of different teaching techniques, including knowledge, contact-based education, and paying attention to the student's personal experience of working with patients with mental illness, as well delivery during the right time of undergraduate medical curriculum, appear to be necessary for an effective educational intervention against mental illness stigma.

 

Keywords: Mental Illness; Stigmatization; Medical Education

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Citation

Citation: Ismail Dahshan., et al. “Outcomes of One-Time Contact Multi-Modal Educational Intervention on Mental Illness Stigma with Undergraduate Medical Students -Suez Canal University Hospital-Egypt”.Acta Scientific Medical Sciences 7.3 (2023): 29-42.

Copyright

Copyright: © 2022 Ismail Dahshan., et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.




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