Attitudes of health students towards people with serious mental disorders

Introduction: The study focused on analyzing the perception of health students towards people with serious mental disorders, given that this type of diagnosis is relevant in the health field. It will be recognized that behaviors towards these people affect both the individuals who suffer from them and the quality of care provided by mental health professionals. Materials and methods: A qualitative descriptive and phenomenological approach was used, carrying out semi-structured interviews with 19 psychology and dentistry students from a higher education institution, using a specific thematic script. Subsequently, a semantic content analysis of the interviews was carried out to identify students' attitudes, beliefs, experiences and knowledge towards people with serious mental disorders. Results: revealed the presence of stereotypes, lack of knowledge, negative attitudes and discriminatory behaviors, as well as the factors that contribute to their formation and possible perpetuation in students in the health area. Conclusions: the importance of addressing stigma in the training of health students is highlighted, proposing that adequate education and positive practical experiences are key strategies to reduce stereotypes and foster a more accurate and empathetic understanding of people with mental health problems.. These findings have significant implications for future clinical practice and the quality of care that healthcare professionals can provide to this population.

Keywords: serious mental disorders, perception, stigma, negative attitudes, university students.