Perception and attitude toward mental illness

บทคัดย่อ

Objective To study perception and attitude of people toward; psychiatric patients and their families, patientûs and familyûs works, and, psychiatric care and treatment.

Materials and methods Samples were multistage random sampling in Bangkok during Dec 2004-Feb 2005. Subjects were divided into 3 groups, i.e. a patient group composed of schizophrenic, major depression and bipolar disorders cases, a patientûs family group and a general people group. They were completed the questionnaires consisted of 3 parts. The first part was the perception and attitude of all groups toward patients and their families. The second part was those towards patientsû and familiesû works. The third part was those towards psychiatric care and treatment. Descriptive statistics was analyzed.

Results The family group had the highest score in the part of perception and attitude toward patients and their families, the patient group had that score towards psychiatric care and treatment whereas the general people group had the lowest score in every part. The most acceptable issue among 3 groups was that people with mental illness should live with their family rather than living alone. The most acceptable issue about the perception and attitude of people toward the patientûs and their familyûs works was that people with mental illness should avoid professional career. For psychiatric care and treatment, physicians must be responsible for the patients and their family on drug information.

Conclusion All groups had agreed that patients should stay with their family and physicians should inform patients and family on drugs information. All 3 groups had disagreed that patients were looked down from their family members.