O. BUHARI, Nigeria
UNIVERSITY OF ILORIN & UNIVERSITY OF ILORIN TEACHING HOSPITAL DEPT OF BEHAVIOURAL SCIENCESPresenter of 2 Presentations
EPP0745 - Evaluation of the effect of mental health training of primary health care workers on attitudes towards mental illness
ABSTRACT
Introduction
The World Health Organization (WHO) set a target of task shifting as a means of achieving improved mental health services within the community as a means of tackling the unmet needs of mental health care. Primary health care workers (PHCWs) have been identified as essential to achieving this goal.
Objectives
This study was to identify attitudes and beliefs of PHCWs on mental illness, and to assess the effect of a mental health training on these attitudes and beliefs.
Methods
The attitude towards mental illness (ASMI) scale was administered on 91 PHCWs pre- and post- a 4 day training on mental health to assess change in attitude across 6 domains.
Results
Our findings revealed significant positive change in four domains, namely separatism (p = < 0.001), restrictiveness ( p = < 0.001), benevolence (p = p =< 0.001) and stigmatization (p = < 0.001). The changes in stereotyping ( p = 0.475) and pessimistic prediction (p = 0.056) domains were not clinically significant.
Conclusions
Primary health care workers’ negative attitude and stigmatizing beliefs can be improved upon via regular enlightenment programmes and training. This can be done at regular intervals
O148 - Psychiatric morbidity among undergraduate students of University of Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria
ABSTRACT
Introduction
The Nigerian tertiary education system admits mostly teenagers and young adults from different ethno-religious and family backgrounds, some of whom may have inherent risks and predisposition to mental illness. They then undergo stressful conditions related to the university life such as long durations of lectures, over-crowding, and lack of social amenities, haphazard lecture schedules as well as incessant industrial strike actions of academic and non- academic staff. In spite of these, there appears to be few studies on the burden of emotional and mental disorders among Nigerian University students, and none was cited suggesting interventions that may be appropriate.
Objectives
The objectives of the study is to determine the prevalence of psychiatric morbidity and its associated factors among undergraduate students of Univesity of Ilorin
Methods
This is a cross-sectional study using multi staged systematic randomization. A self-administered socidemographic questionnaire and the 12 item general health questionnaire (GHQ -12) was administered on 3,300 students.
Results
Psychiatric morbidity was found to be 23.6% of the 3179 analyzable returned questionnaires. Factors found to be significantly associated with psychiatric morbidity included female gender, relationship with parents, parental employment status and family structure. Students on scholarship were more likely to have mental illness. Other associated factors include whether course of study was the preferred one and relationships with peers and lecturers on campus. About 46.6% of the students were willing to have internet based mental health intervention programmes.
Conclusions
The data obtained from this study is relevant for the formation of mental health promotion and prevention programs on our campus.