Destigmatization Among Primary Health Care Providers

NCT06655792 | Completed DMC

• 1 other identifier: Destigmatization
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 165
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The goal of this randomized controlled trial is to learn if an educational program can reduce stigma toward mental illness among primary health care providers. The main questions it aims to answer are:

• Does the educational program decrease stigma toward mental illness among participants?
• How does the program improve knowledge about mental illness?
• What beliefs about mental illness do participants hold before and after the program? Researcher will compare the intervention group, who will receive the educational program, to a control group that will not receive the program to see if the educational program is effective in reducing stigma and improving knowledge. Participants will: Attend educational sessions designed to increase awareness and understanding of mental illness. Complete questionnaires about their attitudes, beliefs, and knowledge regarding mental illness before and after the program. Provide demographic information and professional background details.

Conditions

Stigma of Mental Illness

Keywords

Educational Program; Knowledge; Attitudes; Destigmatization

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Change in Stigma Levels

  The primary outcome measure is the change in stigma levels toward mental illness among healthcare providers, as assessed by the Opening Minds Scale for Health Care Providers (OMS-HC). Coding\\ On the 15-item scale: items 2, 6, 7, 8, 14 require reverse scoring. Outcomes: Total OMS-HC 15 mean score Total scale scores could range from 15 to 75 and a lower score indicates less stigma Subscales: 1. Attitudes of health care providers towards people with mental illness (5 items = 1, 9, 10, 11, 13, 15) The concepts captured in this subscale relate to general attitudes towards people with mental illness and the role of health care providers 2. Attitudes of health care providers towards disclosure and help-seeking (4 items = 3, 4, 5, 8) The concepts captured in this subscale relate to self-disclosure of mental illness and help seeking behavior 3. Attitudes of health care providers towards social distance (5 items = 2, 6, 7, 12, 14)

  Baseline pre the educational program, and at 3 months follow-up.

• Mental Health Knowledge Questionnaire based on educational program.

  This section of the questionnaire assesses the knowledge of primary health care providers about mental health topics covered in the educational program. It consists of 10 multiple-choice questions, each presented in a "best of five" format. Participants must choose the most appropriate answer from five options. The questions are designed to evaluate key concepts such as mental illness recognition, treatment modalities, stigma reduction strategies, and best practices in patient care. The goal is to measure the impact of the educational program on enhancing the participants' understanding and competence in mental health care.

  Before the educational program and at 3 months post-program completion.

Secondary Outcomes (3)

• Change in Knowledge About Mental Illness

  Baseline pre the educational program, and at 3 month follow-up.

• Change in Beliefs Toward Mental Illness

  Baseline pre the educational program, and at 3 months follow-up.

• Change in Reported and Intended Behavior Toward People with Mental Illness

  Baseline pre the educational program, and at 3 follow-up.

Study Arms (2)

Control group

NO INTERVENTION

Standard Care (No Educational Program) Participants in this group will not receive the educational program designed to reduce stigma toward mental illness. Instead, they will continue with their usual professional development and work routines without any specific interventions related to mental health stigma reduction. No intervention: This group serves as a comparison group to evaluate the effectiveness of the educational program provided to Arm 1. Follow-up: Similar assessments of knowledge, beliefs, and attitudes towards mental illness will be conducted before and after the study period to measure any changes that may occur in the absence of the educational intervention.

Study Group

EXPERIMENTAL

Educational Program on Mental Illness Stigma Reduction Participants in this group will receive the educational program designed to reduce stigma toward mental illness. The educational program will be delivered through a series of structured sessions that aim to improve healthcare providers' knowledge, beliefs, and attitudes towards mental illness. These sessions will focus on the following key elements: Increasing knowledge about mental illness: This will include education on common mental health disorders, their symptoms, and treatments. Addressing misconceptions: Participants will learn about myths and misconceptions surrounding mental illness, with discussions on the importance of recognizing mental health as part of overall health. Promoting positive attitudes: Activities and discussions will aim to foster empathy and understanding, encouraging participants to develop supportive and non-judgmental attitudes towards individuals with mental illness.

Other: Educational Program on Mental Illness Stigma Reduction

Interventions

Educational Program on Mental Illness Stigma Reduction OTHER

The intervention consists of an 8-session educational program designed to reduce stigma towards mental illness among primary healthcare providers. The program includes lectures and multimedia presentations on mental health, stigma, and its effects. It engages participants in role-playing exercises to simulate the experience of stigma and improve communication skills. Group discussions allow participants to reflect on personal beliefs and attitudes, and case studies provide real-world examples of stigma and intervention strategies. The program spans four days, with two sessions per day, each lasting 50-60 minutes.

Study Group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 60 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Currently holding a position in the government health sector in Kirkuk City.
• Actively engaged in delivering assistance to clients.

You may not qualify if:

• Not directly involved in delivering assistance to clients.
• Unwilling to participate in the educational program.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Hawler Medical University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Kirkuk Department of Health - Primary Health Care Sectors

Kirkuk, Kirkuk Governorate, 36001, Iraq

Location

Related Publications (5)

• Younis MS, Anwer AH, Hussain HY. Stigmatising attitude and reflections towards mental illness at community setting, population-based approach, Baghdad City 2020. Int J Soc Psychiatry. 2021 Aug;67(5):461-466. doi: 10.1177/0020764020961797. Epub 2020 Oct 8.

  PMID: 34278834 RESULT

• Tyerman J, Patovirta AL, Celestini A. How Stigma and Discrimination Influences Nursing Care of Persons Diagnosed with Mental Illness: A Systematic Review. Issues Ment Health Nurs. 2021 Feb;42(2):153-163. doi: 10.1080/01612840.2020.1789788. Epub 2020 Aug 7.

  PMID: 32762576 RESULT

• Pescosolido BA, Halpern-Manners A, Luo L, Perry B. Trends in Public Stigma of Mental Illness in the US, 1996-2018. JAMA Netw Open. 2021 Dec 1;4(12):e2140202. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.40202.

  PMID: 34932103 RESULT

• Mohammadzadeh M, Awang H, Mirzaei F. Mental health stigma among Middle Eastern adolescents: A protocol for a systematic review. J Psychiatr Ment Health Nurs. 2020 Dec;27(6):829-837. doi: 10.1111/jpm.12627. Epub 2020 Apr 13.

  PMID: 32170971 RESULT

• Eiroa-Orosa FJ, Lomascolo M, Tosas-Fernandez A. Efficacy of an Intervention to Reduce Stigma Beliefs and Attitudes among Primary Care and Mental Health Professionals: Two Cluster Randomised-Controlled Trials. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Jan 29;18(3):1214. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18031214.

  PMID: 33572955 RESULT

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Behavior

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: CARE PROVIDER
• Purpose: HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Lecturer

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: October 22, 2024
• First Posted: October 23, 2024
• Study Start: August 1, 2024
• Primary Completion: December 1, 2025
• Study Completion: December 15, 2025
• Last Updated: May 4, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-04

Locations

IR (1)