It is well known that negative and stigmatizing attitudes towards persons with mental illness are highly prevalent in the general population (Angermeyer et al. 2005, Angermeyer & Dietrich 2006, Högberg et al. 2012). During the recent decades, no time trends or desirable changes in these negative attitudes have been observed (Schomerus et al. 2012). A range of studies have examined associated factors (such as age, gender, marital status, educational level, and real-life experiences) and found that older people, males, and persons without personal experience of mental illness often have more negative attitudes (Angermeyer & Dietrich 2006, Ewalds-Kvist et al. 2012). However, in their review, Angermeyer & Dietrich (2006) found that the explanatory power of sociodemographic characteristics is poor. Familiarity and contact with mental illness is probably the strongest predictor for more positive attitudes (Couture & Penn 2003, Angermeyer & Dietrich 2006). Moreover, negative and stigmatizing attitudes also are found among health-care staff, and to a surprising extent, and are in several respects comparable with public opinion (Nordt et al. 2006, Schulze 2007, Björkman et al. 2008, Ross & Goldner 2009). Lack of knowledge, lower education level, less professional experience, and no familiarity, i.e., no friends or relatives with mental illness, are factors related to more negative and unfavourable attitudes (van der Kluit & Goossens 2011). Stigmatization and discriminatory behaviour constitute a major obstacle in psychiatric care and have been pointed out as a key issue in work with mental illness. Unfortunately, negative attitudes have been shown even among mental health-care staff (Ross & Goldner 2009, Hansson et al. 2013). Education level (Munro & Baker 2007), knowledge, and experience of mental illness (Nordt et al. 2006, Cleary et al. 2012, Hansson et al. 2013) have been shown to influence mental health staff’s attitudes in a positive direction. Hansson and co-workers (2013) found differences between work setting characteristics; where mental health-care staff working in inpatient services had more negative attitudes than did staff working in outpatient services. The authors’ explanation for this difference was that staff in inpatient settings have contact with persons with more severe, long-term and recurrent mental illness. This, in turn was thought to induce negative beliefs, pessimism, and hopelessness in the individual staff members. It is the nursing staff who work closest to and have everyday contact with patients. Studies comparing the attitudes of nurses working in mental health services with those working in somatic care have shown more positive attitudes among mental health nurses (Björkman et al. 2008). In a European study, mental health nurses’ attitudes towards persons with mental illness were mainly positive (Chambers et al. 2010). In summary, the review of the literature supports the ‘contact hypothesis’, i.e. that increased personal and professional contact is associated with more positive attitudes. The ‘dose’ of contact is similar for staff working in different mental health services, i.e. they have daily contact with persons suffering from mental illness. However, the panorama of mental illness is wide, and consequently, staff members working in different mental health services have varying professional experiences. There is evidence that negative and stigmatizing attitudes exist among mental health staff, and differences have been shown between work places. Besides personal and professional contact, staffs members’ knowledge and sociodemographic characteristics have been identified as related factors. Less is known about how these factors may covary. If we wish to intervene and steer attitudes in a positive direction, there is a need to start by examining the explanatory power of possible related factors. Based on earlier research, we hypothesized that earlier personal contact, professional contact (employer/ work places), knowledge, and sociodemographic characteristics would impact on mental health nursing staff’s general attitudes towards persons with mental illness. Thus, the aim of the present study was to investigate these factors association with mental health nursing staffs’ general attitudes towards persons with mental illness.
It is well known that negative and stigmatizing attitudes towards persons with mental illness are highly prevalent in the general population (Angermeyer et al. 2005, Angermeyer & Dietrich 2006, Högberg et al. 2012). During the recent decades, no time trends or desirable changes in these negative attitudes have been observed (Schomerus et al. 2012). A range of studies have examined associated factors (such as age, gender, marital status, educational level, and real-life experiences) and found that older people, males, and persons without personal experience of mental illness often have more negative attitudes (Angermeyer & Dietrich 2006, Ewalds-Kvist et al. 2012). However, in their review, Angermeyer & Dietrich (2006) found that the explanatory power of sociodemographic characteristics is poor. Familiarity and contact with mental illness is probably the strongest predictor for more positive attitudes (Couture & Penn 2003, Angermeyer & Dietrich 2006). Moreover, negative and stigmatizing attitudes also are found among health-care staff, and to a surprising extent, and are in several respects comparable with public opinion (Nordt et al. 2006, Schulze 2007, Björkman et al. 2008, Ross & Goldner 2009). Lack of knowledge, lower education level, less professional experience, and no familiarity, i.e., no friends or relatives with mental illness, are factors related to more negative and unfavourable attitudes (van der Kluit & Goossens 2011). Stigmatization and discriminatory behaviour constitute a major obstacle in psychiatric care and have been pointed out as a key issue in work with mental illness. Unfortunately, negative attitudes have been shown even among mental health-care staff (Ross & Goldner 2009, Hansson et al. 2013). Education level (Munro & Baker 2007), knowledge, and experience of mental illness (Nordt et al. 2006, Cleary et al. 2012, Hansson et al. 2013) have been shown to influence mental health staff’s attitudes in a positive direction. Hansson and co-workers (2013) found differences between work setting characteristics; where mental health-care staff working in inpatient services had more negative attitudes than did staff working in outpatient services. The authors’ explanation for this difference was that staff in inpatient settings have contact with persons with more severe, long-term and recurrent mental illness. This, in turn was thought to induce negative beliefs, pessimism, and hopelessness in the individual staff members. It is the nursing staff who work closest to and have everyday contact with patients. Studies comparing the attitudes of nurses working in mental health services with those working in somatic care have shown more positive attitudes among mental health nurses (Björkman et al. 2008). In a European study, mental health nurses’ attitudes towards persons with mental illness were mainly positive (Chambers et al. 2010). In summary, the review of the literature supports the ‘contact hypothesis’, i.e. that increased personal and professional contact is associated with more positive attitudes. The ‘dose’ of contact is similar for staff working in different mental health services, i.e. they have daily contact with persons suffering from mental illness. However, the panorama of mental illness is wide, and consequently, staff members working in different mental health services have varying professional experiences. There is evidence that negative and stigmatizing attitudes exist among mental health staff, and differences have been shown between work places. Besides personal and professional contact, staffs members’ knowledge and sociodemographic characteristics have been identified as related factors. Less is known about how these factors may covary. If we wish to intervene and steer attitudes in a positive direction, there is a need to start by examining the explanatory power of possible related factors. Based on earlier research, we hypothesized that earlier personal contact, professional contact (employer/ work places), knowledge, and sociodemographic characteristics would impact on mental health nursing staff’s general attitudes towards persons with mental illness. Thus, the aim of the present study was to investigate these factors association with mental health nursing staffs’ general attitudes towards persons with mental illness.
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