Knowledge and Attitudes of Undergraduate Nursing Students Toward Mental Illness

Abstract

Introduction: Mental illness is still a public health concern and a leading cause of disability worldwide. Stigma, myths, and negative attitudes tend to impede appropriate care, especially in developing nations. Undergraduate nursing students, who will be future healthcare professionals, should have sufficient knowledge and optimistic attitudes in order to provide comprehensive mental healthcare. The goal of this study was to evaluate the knowledge and attitudes of undergraduate nursing students towards mental illness. Methodology: Descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out among 201 undergraduate nursing students enrolled at a private nursing institute. A sample of 201 was selected using stratified random sampling with 30% second-year, 37% third-year, and the rest from the final year. A self-administered validated questionnaire was applied, including demographic information, knowledge assessment scale, and attitude scale towards mental illness. Analysis was done using SPSS version 25, with descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: The results indicated that 52.2% of the students had moderate knowledge, 29.9% poor knowledge, and a mere 17.9% good knowledge about mental illness. Attitude scores showed that 62.2% were neutral in attitude, 24.4% were in a negative attitude, and a mere 13.4% were in a positive attitude towards persons with mental illness. There was a strong correlation with the year of study and level of knowledge, with final-year students having higher scores. Likewise, advanced age and increased clinical exposure were associated with better attitudes. Conclusion: The study highlights the necessity to increase mental health training and clinical education in nursing programs in order to enhance students' knowledge and attitudes, and ultimately decrease stigma and improve mental healthcare outcomes.