Journal of Psychiatry

The attitudes towards Psychiatry among medical doctors in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia

Euro Global Summit and Medicare Expo on Psychiatry

July 20-22, 2015 Barcelona, Spain

Andrea Vlasic

Posters-Accepted Abstracts: J Psychiatry

Abstract:

Background: Studies which explored the attitudes to Psychiatry or Psychiatrists, especially attitudes of medical doctors who are not specialized in Psychiatry, are still scarce. However, according to common experience a stigma on Psychiatry and Psychiatrists exists even among medical doctors. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate attitudes towards psychiatrists and psychiatry among medical doctors of different specialities. Methods: Participants were 60 medical doctors from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia, aged 25 to 65. Medical doctors specialized in Psychiatry were not included in the research. Instruments: (1) Short Sociodemografic Questionnaire which included questions about age, gender, speciality, psychiatric patients among family members or friends, (2) Modified Attitudes to Psychiatry Scale. Results: Data analysis proved hypothesised existence of a stigma among medical doctors towards psychiatry and psychiatrists. Results will be discussed according to age, gender and speciality differences as well as differences between medical doctors who have personal experience with psychiatris patients among family members or friends and those who do not have such experience. This study opens questions for future research and stress the importance of changing attitudes towards this branch of medicine.

Biography :

Andrea Vlasic completed her studies at Department of Psychology, Faculty of Philosophy at the University of Zagreb, Croatia in 2008. Her passion for scientific research was fully developed at the very beginning of her studies. Working in Institute for medical expertise of health conditions and later at Mental Health Center in Livno, Bosnia and Herzegovina, she worked closely with psychiatrists and kept her interest in research, which showed publicating and presenting at national and international psychological and psychiatrical conferences. She is opened for every kind of research in psychology and Psychiatry.