EPV1698 - Perception of Psychiatry by Other Healthcare Professionals(Physicians at Casablanca University Hospital)

EPV1698

Perception of Psychiatry by Other Healthcare Professionals

(Physicians at Casablanca University Hospital)

 

 

M. Sabir ^1,*, N. ATTOUCHE ¹, A. Tanjaoui ¹, M. Agoub ¹

¹ Psychiatry, University Center for Psychiatry, Casablanca, Morocco

 

Introduction: Mental health is a crucial component of overall well-being, with psychiatric disorders contributing significantly to morbidity and complicating other medical conditions. Morocco faces a particularly worrying situation, marked by a shortage of psychiatrists and unequal access to care. Understanding the perception of psychiatry among physicians is essential to improving the specialty’s attractiveness and strengthening training programs.

Objectives: To analyze attitudes toward psychiatry among non-psychiatrist physicians.

To identify factors influencing these attitudes.

To propose actions for improving psychiatry’s representation and integration.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional, descriptive, and analytical study among 305 physicians at Ibn Rochd University Hospital, excluding psychiatrists. Participants included interns, residents, attending physicians, and faculty members. Data were collected through a self-administered questionnaire and the ATP-30 scale. Analyses were performed using SPSS v27. Variables with p < 0.20 in univariate analysis were included in a multivariate linear regression model, with significance set at p < 0.05.

Results: Physicians expressed an overall favorable perception of psychiatry, with a mean ATP-30 score of 115.9 (95% positive attitudes).

Positive aspects: Strong recognition of psychiatric patients’ humanity (88%) and the legitimacy of mental illness compared with physical conditions (91%). Psychiatry is generally considered a respected discipline.

Challenges: Doubts persist regarding therapeutic effectiveness (59% skeptical about improvement), concerns about side effects (72%), and a limited attractiveness of the specialty (46% uninterested).

Influencing factors: Gender, marital status, and professional status were significantly associated with attitudes, with women showing more favorable perceptions.

Conclusions: Physicians at CHU Ibn Rochd showed generally positive attitudes toward psychiatry, consistent with international findings, but therapeutic pessimism remains a major concern. Addressing these reservations is crucial for promoting psychiatry, ensuring equitable access to mental healthcare, and better integrating it into the medical system.

 

Disclosure of Interest: None Declared