Level of awareness and the attitude toward mental illness in the community medical staff with different lengths of service

Yan Baoping; Wang Hailong; Lyu Hua

doi:10.3969/j.issn.1009-6574.2019.06.013

Abstract：Objective? To compare the level of awareness of mental health and mental illness prevention knowledge among medical staff with various lengths of service in Baoding and their attitudes toward mental illness. Methods? A total of 2 541 community medical personnel who were trained in 25 counties and districts of Baoding were selected as survey samples, and 2 433 questionnaires were actually completed. Using the 20-year mark as the dividing criteria, all participants were divided into 1 246 people in the 20-year group and 1 187 people in the ≥ 20-year group. The Mental Health Knowledge and Mental Illness Prevention Knowledge Awareness Questionnaire, the Case Test and the Mental Disorder Related Attitude Questionnaire were used in the survey and analysis. All questionnaires were formulated by the Ministry of Health's Office of Mental Health Work Indicators Survey and Evaluation Program. Results? There was a statistically significant difference in the awareness rate of mental health and mental health knowledge between the ＜20-year group and the ≥20-year group (98.1% vs 94.8%, χ2=19.38,P＜0.001). The positive rate of positive symptoms in schizophrenia in the case test was statistically significant in the ＜20-year group compared with the ≥20-year group (52.9% vs 43.1%, χ2=23.17,P＜0.001). The ＜20 years group and the ≥20 years group scores on mental illness related attitudes were statistically significant [(34.90±6.42) vs (35.59±6.64), t=2.60, P=0.009]. Conclusions? Community medical personnel in Baoding have different levels of awareness of mental health knowledge. It is necessary to strengthen the mental health training for medical staff with longer service time and improve the education of mental illnesses of medical staff with shorter service time.