Evolution of the stigma towards mental health in training health specialists in Asturias

Abstract

Introduction: Several studies have analysed social stigma among medical and nurse students or health care workers towards people with mental disorders. However, there is no evidence of social stigma training in residents during their specialised health training (FSE). Objective: This study aims to evaluate social stigma in residents in clinical specialities, the “anti-stigma” training during their residency, and its influence on the beliefs and attitudes they had in the first and last year of specialisation. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study in a sample of 250 residents of nursing, medicine, and clinical psychology: 141 in the first year of speciality and 109 in the last year, selected by random sampling proportional to the total number of residents in each year. The CAMI-S scale was used to measure social stigma, and a self-made questionnaire was used for sociodemographic variables. Both were created in the FORMS app and sent via email. The mean and standard deviation (SD) were obtained for “integration and contact”, “social distance”, “dangerousness and avoidance”, and overall stigma. Overall score for no stigma was between 80-100. Results: Response rate of 57.6%: 72.2% women, 64.6% 23-28 years old, 54.2% in the first year, 51.4% medical specialisation and 29.9% nursing. Only 20.1% had received “anti-stigma” training. Overall mean stigma of 86.7 (SD=8.5); 87.3 (SD=7.9) in the first year and 86.1 (SD=9.1) in the last year (P=0.398); 90.0 (SD=8.2) if they received training and 86.1 (SD=8.4) if they did not (p=0.027). Conclusions: Overall scores favourable to "anti-stigma" were obtained for people both in their first and last year of specialty. When there was "anti-stigma" training during residency, the results were even more favourable. It would therefore be beneficial to include content on "anti-stigma" in residency training programmes.