Evaluation of Stigmatizing Attitudes of Physicians Towards Bipolar Affective Disorders

Year 2021, Volume: 11 Issue: 1, 82 - 88, 21.01.2021

Oğuzhan Kılınçel Rukiye Ay

https://doi.org/10.33631/duzcesbed.830836

Abstract

Aim: There are not many studies related to the attitude of healthcare workers towards bipolar patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the attitudes of psychiatrists and other physicians towards patients with bipolar disorder, and our secondary aim was to evaluate the possible relationship between physicians' attitudes towards bipolar disorder patients and their sociodemographic characteristics.
Material and Methods: A total of 514 volunteers; psychiatrists (n=67), family physicians (n=156) and other branches (n=291) were included in the study in March 2019 via an online questionnaire. A structured questionnaire was administered to all participants. The questions were recorded by asking questions about bipolar disorder.
Results: A total of 514 volunteers, including psychiatrists (n=67), family physicians (n=156), and other branches (n=291), were included in our study. As a result of our study, it was observed that 21% of family physicians and 32% of physicians from other branches did not feel comfortable while examining patients with bipolar disorder and it was observed that it was significantly higher than psychiatrists (6%). Compared to psychiatrists (4%), it was reported that family physicians (30%) and other specialists (30%) would feel uncomfortable working with someone with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder.
Conclusion: Psychiatrists displayed more positive attitudes than family physicians and other branches. Education, which is emphasized to prevent stigmatizing attitudes, is perhaps the most important reason for this. Decreasing negative attitudes towards bipolar patients among healthcare professionals may decrease patients' self-concealment and increase hospital admission and treatment compliance in cases of physical and mental illness. With the decrease in the stigmatizing attitudes of physicians against this disease, the social and professional functionality of the patients will increase and will provide important gains in terms of community mental health.

Keywords

Bipolar disorder, physicians' role, psychiatry

Hekimlerin Bipolar Afektif Bozukluğa Karşı Damgalayıcı Tutumların Değerlendirilmesi

Abstract

Amaç: Damgalama, bir işaret ya da özelliğin sonucu olarak insanları değersizleştiren sosyal bir yapıdır. Bipolar bozukluk toplumda sıkça görülen ataklarla seyreden kronik bir hastalıktır. Sağlık çalışanlarının bipolar hastalara karşı tutumuyla ilişkili çok fazla çalışma bulunmamaktadır. Bu çalışmanın amacı psikiyatristler ve diğer hekimlerin bipolar bozukluk tanılı hastalara karşı tutumunu değerlendirmek, ikincil amacımız ise hekimlerin bipolar bozukluk tanılı hastalara karşı tutumlarının hekimlerin sosyodemografik özellikleriyle olası ilişkisini değerlendirmektir.
Gereç ve Yöntemler: Mart 2019'da online anket aracılığıyla toplam 514 gönüllü psikiyatrist (n=67), aile hekimi (n=156) ve diğer branşlardan hekimler (n=291) çalışmaya dahil edildi. Tüm katılımcılara yapılandırılmış bir anket uygulandı. Bipolar bozukluk hakkında sorular sorarak kayıt altına alındı.
Bulgular: Çalışmamıza psikiyatri uzmanları (n=67), aile hekimleri (n=156), diğer branşlar (n=291) olmak üzere toplam 514 gönüllü dahil edildi. Çalışmamız sonucunda aile hekimlerinin %21 ve diğer branşlardan hekimlerin %32 oranında bipolar bozukluk tanısı olan hastaları muayene ederken rahat hissetmediği ve psikiyatri hekimlerinden (%6) anlamlı olarak yüksek gözlendi. Aile hekimlerinin (%30) ve diğer branş hekimlerinin (%30), bipolar bozukluk tanısı olan birisi ile çalışmaktan rahatsızlık duyacağını psikiyatristler (%4) ile karşılaştırıldığında daha yüksek oranlarda bildirmişlerdir
Sonuç: Psikiyatristler aile hekimleri ve diğer branşlara göre daha olumlu tutum sergilemişlerdir. Damgalayıcı tutumların önlemek için üzerinde durulan eğitim belki bunun en önemli nedenidir. Sağlık çalışanlarında bipolar hastalara karşı olumsuz tutumların azalması hastaların kendini gizlemelerini azaltıp, fiziksel ve ruhsal hastalık durumlarında hastane başvurusu ve tedavi uyumunu arttırabilir. Bu hastalığa karşı hekimlerin damgalayıcı tutumların azalması ile hastaların sosyal ve mesleki işlevsellikleri arttıracak ve toplum ruh sağlığı açısından önemli kazanımlar sağlayacaktır.

Keywords

Psikiyatrist, Bipolar bozukluk, hekimin rolü

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