Stigma toward Mental Disorders among Pakistani Medical, Pharmacy and Allied Health Sciences Students: A Cross-sectional Study

Abstract

Introduction. People with mental health disorders face significantly more negative judgments and stigmatization than sufferers of other illnesses, negatively affecting patients’ quality of life. Objective. This study aimed to assess the stigma surrounding mental disorders among Pakistani medical, pharmacy, and allied health sciences students. Method. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among students at the University of Lahore between April and May 2022. Mental health stigma was evaluated using a modified version of the Discrimination-Devaluation (D-D) scale. Results. A total of 315 students were included in the study (mean age = 22.4 years, males = 51.1%). The majority of participants were pharmacy students (51.1%), followed by allied health sciences (35.2%) and medical students (13.7%). In multiple regression analysis, students who were in a relationship/married had lower scores for perceived public stigma scales than those who were single (p = .024). In the multivariable adjusted model for perceived personal stigma toward mental health problems, medical students had significantly better attitudes toward mental health issues than other students. Discussion and conclusion. Stigma surrounding mental health disorders is prevalent in Pakistani society, even among the highly educated. Educational interventions are therefore required to improve university students’ awareness and attitudes toward mental health disorders.