Attitude of health and paramedical students towards patients with intellectual disability and severe mental health problems

Certain medical conditions and stigma, stereotypes and negative attitudes are related. Research has shown that such attitudes can have a decisive impact on mental patient care and communication and affect their quality of life. This study aimed to determine the attitudes of students towards patients with mental health and paramedical and acute psychiatric patients. This study was a cross-sectional study was conducted in the second half of 2009-2010 in Qazvin University of Medical Sciences. Students were selected using Stratified random sampling among 7 field of School of Health and paramedical. Self reporting MCRS scales and demographic questions were used for data gathering from medical conditions. MCRS is designed to measure the attitudes and used in any types of medical terms. MCRS to be answered basing on Likert range (1=totally disagree to 6=totally agree) and its Reliability and validity have been verified in previous studies. Finally, the data were entered into SPSS 17/0 software and descriptive test along with T- test and ANOVA were used to analyze student's attitudes. 328 students participated in this study and results show a significant difference between different fields regarding test scores (MCRS, P<0.001) and gender (P<0.05). 4 items are received above average included There are little things I can do for patients like this (mean=5/69), Treatment of these patients is a waste of money (mean=5/56), It is hard for me to work with patients with similar (mean=5/41), I prefer not to work with such patients (mean=5/32). Given the attitude of health personnel affect in the delivery of care to the mentally ill, the findings suggest that students had good attitudes to patients with mental disorders and mental disability. To improve the quality of life for patients suffering from mental disorder, educational programs should be implemented to promote public awareness of how to interact with patients and to identify needs of patients. It also focuses on the bill of rights of all patients.