[Stigmatisation of patients with mental disorders by medical interns specialising in general practice: A national survey]

Abstract

Objectives: The objective was to assess the level of stigmatisation of psychiatric patients by medical interns specialising in general practice (GP), and to assess the influencing factors of stigmatisation.

Methods: A national survey was carried out among interns in general practice (GP) contacted through their local associations from December 10, 2019 to March 9, 2020. An online questionnaire was diffused. The validated French version of the Mental Illness Clinicians' Attitudes (MICA) was used to measure stigmatising attitudes towards psychiatry and persons with psychiatric disorder by the interns. This 16-item scale is designed to measure attitudes of health care professionals towards people with mental illness with scores ranging from 16 to 96 (the most stigmatizing). Several covariates were collected: socio-demographics, personal experiences with mental health, and mental health trainings during medical studies. All questionnaires were strictly anonymized. Comparative analyses of the MICA score by group were performed using Student's tests.

Results: A total of 389 interns responded. The majority of respondents were female (n=277; 71%) and the mean age was 27years [standard deviation (SD)±2.39]. The mean MICA rate was 40.64 (SD±8.09) for a neutral score of 56, reflecting low overall stigmatizing attitudes. MICA scores were significantly lower among female interns (40.11 vs. 41.95; P=0.042), those who had benefited from personal psychological or psychiatric support (38.70 vs. 41.61; P=0.001), and those who had completed a psychiatric externship (39.47 vs. 42.16; P=0.001).

Conclusions: GP interns had an attitude that is generally not very stigmatizing even if its improvement should still be sought. This is particularly verified among those who have completed a psychiatric internship during their externship. This suggested association should be supported by other studies. The stakes are high for the future management of patients since stigmatisation by a physician is strongly implied in the worse healthcare management of patients with psychiatric disorders, leading them to a shorter lifespan.

Keywords: General practice; Internes en médecine; Medical interns; Médecine générale; Psychiatrie; Psychiatry; Stigmatisation; Stigmatization.