Determining the effectiveness of a video-based contact intervention in improving attitudes of Penang primary care nurses towards people with mental illness

Abstract

BackgroundMental illness-related stigma is common, and is associated with poorer outcomes in people with mental illness. This study evaluated the attitudes of primary care nurses towards people with mental illness and its associated factors; and the effectiveness of a short video-based contact intervention (VBCI) in improving these attitudes using a Malay version of the 15-item Opening Minds Stigma Scale for Healthcare Providers (OMS-HC-15-M).MethodsA 5-minute VBCI was developed comprising elements of psychoeducation and interviews of people with mental illness and the people they interact with, relating to experience of mental illness and recovery. A pre-post cross-sectional study was conducted on 206 randomly selected primary care nurses in Penang, Malaysia. The OMS-HC-15-M questionnaire was administered before and immediately after participants viewed the VBCI. The difference in mean pre-post VBCI scores using paired t-tests, effect size and standardised response mean (SRM) were obtained. Factors correlating to attitudes were obtained using univariate and multivariate regression analyses.ResultsDifferences in pre-post VBCI score were statistically significant (p<0.001) with a 14% score reduction, a moderate effect size and SRM at 0.97 (0.85–0.11) and 1.1 (0.97–1.2) respectively. By factoring in the Minimal Detectable Change statistic of 7.76, the VBCI produced a significant improvement of attitudes in 30% of the participants. Factors associated with less stigmatising attitudes at baseline were previous psychiatry-related training, desiring psychiatric training, and positive contact with people with mental illness.ConclusionsThis is the first study in Malaysia to show that a brief VBCI is effective in improving attitudes of primary care nurses towards people with mental illness in the immediate term. Further studies are needed to determine if these results can be sustained in the longer term and generalizable to other health care professionals. Qualitative studies are warranted to provide insight to the factors correlating to these attitudes. (300 words)

Mental health literacy: A systematic review of knowledge and beliefs about mental disorders in Malaysia

“…Contrary to these, findings of two experimental studies revealed that interventions on mental illness were predictive of positive outcomes in anti‐stigma programs (Fernandez et al, 2016; Y. P. Ng et al, 2017). Furthermore, clinical posting in psychiatry was shown to increase positive attitudes towards mental health issues and psychiatry among female students (Reddy et al, 2005).…”

Anteceding factors predicting absenteeism and presenteeism in urban area in Malaysia

“…According to Evans-Lacko and Knapp [10], cultural contexts in which mental illness is stigmatized may prevent an employee from disclosing their mental illness status and take sick-leave due to mental health-related reasons. This is the case in Malaysia, where even though as high as one thirds of Malaysians were reported as suffering from a mental illness [78], there is still a lack of knowledge and a prevalence of stigma against individuals who are mentally ill or suicidal [79–81].…”

Effectiveness of direct contact intervention with people with mental illness to reduce stigma in nursing students

“…; Ng et al . ), yet it has been described as the most effective method to do so (Corrigan ; Thornicroft et al . ).…”

“…As mentioned above, not every type of contact is useful to reduce stigma (Eisenberg et al 2012;Ng et al 2017), yet it has been described as the most effective method to do so (Corrigan 2012;Thornicroft et al 2016). In fact, mental health professionals, despite continued relation with people with psychiatric diagnoses, still maintain stigmatizing attitudes (Hansson et al 2013;Schulze 2007).…”