Mental IllnessEustigmaNCT04644978
European Study on the Attitude of Psychiatrists Towards Their Patients
An observational study of Mental Illness and Stigmatization, run by Semmelweis University at 31 sites in 31 countries.
Trial summary
Background: Many people think that people with mental disorders might be dangerous or unpredictable. These patients face various sources of disadvantages and experience discrimination on job interviews, in education, and housing. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 24 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Mental Illness, Stigmatization
- What is being tested?
- anonymous online survey
- How many people
- 4,245 participants
- Where
- 31 sitesin 31 countries
- Study dates
- 29 Jul 2020to 31 Jul 2022
- Phase
- Observational
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 24 years and older
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Study population: Practising specialists and trainees in adult psychiatry or child and adolescent psychiatry who work in the participating European countries
Who may be able to join
- The responder must be a practising specialist or trainee in psychiatry or child and adolescent psychiatry in one of the participating countries on the basis of his / her own declaration.
- Responders could provide their consent by choosing "I agree" on the website, after reading the information leaflet and the informed consent form. Only those participants will be able to complete the online survey who chose "I agree" on the website.
Who cannot join
- The choice of "I do not agree" option of the participant on the website after reading the informed consent form. The responder will be guided automatically to the end of the survey.
Trial locations and contacts
31 sites in 31 countries.
31 sites in 31 countries
Austria1 site
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapeutic Medicin, Medical University of Graz
Graz
Denmark1 site
Research Unit for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychiatry- Aalborg University Hospital
Aalborg
Germany1 site
Klinikum rechts der Isar der Technischen Universität München
Munich
Greece1 site
Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina
Ioannina
Ireland1 site
Department of Liasion Psychiatry, Mater University Hospital
Dublin
Lithuania1 site
Vilnius University, Facutly of Medicine, Psychiatric Clinic
Vilnius
Montenegro1 site
Clinical Centre of Montenegro, Clinic for Psychiatry
Podgorica
Portugal1 site
Institute of Psychological Medicine, Faculty of Medicine of University of Coimbra
Coimbra
Russia1 site
The Serbsky State Scientific Center for Social and Forensic Psychiatry
Moscow
Slovenia1 site
Centre for Clinical Psychiatry, University Psychiatric Clinic and Children's hospital Ljubljana
Ljubljana
Ukraine1 site
Chernivtsi Regional Mental Hospital, Bukovinian State Medical University
Chernivtsi
About this study
Background: Many people think that people with mental disorders might be dangerous or unpredictable. These patients face various sources of disadvantages and experience discrimination on job interviews, in education, and housing. Mental health-related stigma (MHS) occurs not only within the public community, it is a growing issue among professionals as well.
Aim: The investigators designed a prospective, observational, multi-centre, international study of 35 European countries to investigate the MHS among medical specialists and trainees in the field of general adult and child and adolescent psychiatry.
Read more
Methods: An internet-based, anonymous survey will measure the stigmatizing attitude by using the local version of the Opening Minds Stigma Scale for Health Care Providers.
Presentation of the Results: The results of the research will be published in an international peer-reviewed journal. Furthermore, the research team will present the results at national and international conferences.
Read the detailed description
There is a rising interest in the examination of the MHS that has been mostly studied among community people. Numerous international studies have shown that people with mental illness are considered to be unpredictable and dangerous. These people often experience disadvantages in various situations, like job interviews, education, and housing.
The MHS has been much less examined among medical professionals and psychiatrists; however, studies have shown that it is prevalent among them as well.
A recent multi-centre study collected the positive and negative experiences of 777 people with schizophrenia regarding access to healthcare services in 27 countries. More than 17% of the patients experienced some kind of discrimination due to their mental illness when they sought medical care for physical problems. More than 38% felt that the medical staff was disrespectful during psychiatric services. Higher discrimination was found within the former Eastern Bloc countries.
Generally, psychiatrists tend to be more empathetic towards people with mental illnesses; however, the MHS could be observed among them as well. A few studies have also shown that their attitude is more negative than that of community people.
Based on the ambiguous results and the lack of studies focusing on the stigmatizing attitude of psychiatrists, the research team aimed to examine this important issue among medical professionals in the mental health field.
Aim of the study:
Our aim is to investigate the stigmatizing attitudes and behaviours of adult psychiatric and child and adolescent psychiatric professionals and trainees towards people with mental illness in European countries.
The results of our study will contribute to the expansion of the existing knowledge both on national and international levels. The outcome could be used for the development of anti-stigma programs and the improvement of therapeutic options in the future.
Structure of the research:
Our study is cross-sectional and multi-centred across 35 European countries. The research team would like to measure the extent of the stigmatizing attitude and its relationship with psychosocial factors.
- Sociodemographic measures:
- sociodemographic data: age, sex
- professional data: workplace categories (university, psychiatric hospital, outpatient service, research centre); location of the workplace (capital, county seat, rural town, small town, village); years of professional experience; current psychotherapeutic activity
- personal information (related to a stigmatizing attitude): mental illness is known in his/her family or close friend, previous treatment for own mental illness, attending psychotherapy
- National version of the Opening Minds Stigma Scale for Health Care Providers (OMS-HC)
An online questionnaire will be provided for the participants of our study. Participation in the study is voluntary, and it can be terminated at any time without having to give any reasons.
- Conditions
- Mental Illness, Stigmatization
- Being tested
- anonymous online survey
- Keywords
- Stigma, Mental health related stigma, Stigmatising attitude, Mental health problems, Survey, Psychiatry, Psychiatrist
- Medical subject headings
- Mental Disorders, Stereotyping, Social Stigma
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
anonymous online surveyOther
An online questionnaire will be provided for the participants of our study. Participation in the study is voluntary and it can be terminated at any time without having to give any reasons.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Trainees and specialists in child and adult psychiatry | The responder must be a practising specialist or trainee in psychiatry or child and adolescent psychiatry in the participating European countries on the basis of his / her own declaration. Responders could provide their consent by choosing "I agree" on the website, after reading the information leaflet and the informed consent form. Receives: Other: anonymous online survey |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
stigmatising attitude
The main questionnaire is the Opening Minds Stigma Scale for Health Care Providers (OMS-HC) which is a self-report questionnaire that contains 15 statements describing feelings and opinions about people with mental health problems. . In the survey, the subjects indicate on a 5-point Likert scale (1 = "strongly disagree" to 5 = "strongly agree") the extent they identify themselves with the given statement.
The overall stigmatising attitude of the participants is described with the total score of the scale (minimum of 15, and a maximum of 75 points). Besides the total score, three dimensions can be calculated by evaluating the three subscales of the questionnaire (Attitude, Disclosure and Help-seeking, and Social Distance).
Higher scores on a subscale and higher total scores reflect a more stigmatising attitude.
Measured: Baseline
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted25 Nov 2020
- Study start29 Jul 2020
- Primary completion31 Jul 2021
- Study completion31 Jul 2022
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (1)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Mental IllnessStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Semmelweis UniversityThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Observational
- Observational model
- Cohort
- Time perspective
- Cross-sectional
- Enrolment
- 4,245 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Semmelweis University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Dorottya Ori, Semmelweis University
- Investigators
- Dorottya Ori, MD, Principal investigator, Vadaskert Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Hospital, Budapest, Hungary
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT04644978
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- Eustigma - v. 1.0
- Acronym
- Eustigma
- Status last verified
- Oct 2022
- First submitted
- 19 Nov 2020
- Last updated
- 27 Oct 2022
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Publications
Ori D, Szocsics P, Molnar T, Motlova LB, Kazakova O, Morkl S, Wallies M, Abdulhakim M, Boivin S, Bruna K, Cabacos C, Carbone EA, Dashi E, Grech G, Greguras S, Ivanovic I, Guevara K, Kakar S, Kotsis K, Ingeholm Klinkby IM, Maslak J, Matheiken S, Mirkovic A, Nechepurenko N, Panayi A, Pereira AT, Pomarol-Clotet E, Raaj S, Prelog PR, Soler-Vidal J, Strumila R, Schuster F, Kisand H, Reim A, Ahmadova G, Vircik M, Kafali HY, Grinko N, Gyorffy Z, Rozsa S. Attitudes of psychiatrists towards people with mental illness: a cross-sectional, multicentre study of stigma in 32 European countries. EClinicalMedicine. 2023 Dec 6;66:102342. doi: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2023.102342. eCollection 2023 Dec.
PubMed 38149261
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 27 Oct 2022. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- European Study on the Attitude of Psychiatrists Towards Their Patients
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT04644978
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- Eustigma / Eustigma - v. 1.0
- Conditions
- Mental Illness, Stigmatization
- Keywords
- Stigma, Mental health related stigma, Stigmatising attitude, Mental health problems, Survey, Psychiatry, Psychiatrist
- Study type
- Observational
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 4,245 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Semmelweis UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 29 Jul 2020 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 31 Jul 2021 (actual)
- Study completion
- 31 Jul 2022 (actual)
- First posted
- 25 Nov 2020 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Background: Many people think that people with mental disorders might be dangerous or unpredictable. These patients face various sources of disadvantages and experience discrimination on job interviews, in education, and housing. Mental health-related stigma (MHS) occurs not only within the public community, it is a growing issue among professionals as well.
Aim: The investigators designed a prospective, observational, multi-centre, international study of 35 European countries to investigate the MHS among medical specialists and trainees in the field of general adult and child and adolescent psychiatry.
Methods: An internet-based, anonymous survey will measure the stigmatizing attitude by using the local version of the Opening Minds Stigma Scale for Health Care Providers.
Presentation of the Results: The results of the research will be published in an international peer-reviewed journal. Furthermore, the research team will present the results at national and international conferences.
Detailed description
There is a rising interest in the examination of the MHS that has been mostly studied among community people. Numerous international studies have shown that people with mental illness are considered to be unpredictable and dangerous. These people often experience disadvantages in various situations, like job interviews, education, and housing.
The MHS has been much less examined among medical professionals and psychiatrists; however, studies have shown that it is prevalent among them as well.
A recent multi-centre study collected the positive and negative experiences of 777 people with schizophrenia regarding access to healthcare services in 27 countries. More than 17% of the patients experienced some kind of discrimination due to their mental illness when they sought medical care for physical problems. More than 38% felt that the medical staff was disrespectful during psychiatric services. Higher discrimination was found within the former Eastern Bloc countries.
Generally, psychiatrists tend to be more empathetic towards people with mental illnesses; however, the MHS could be observed among them as well. A few studies have also shown that their attitude is more negative than that of community people.
Based on the ambiguous results and the lack of studies focusing on the stigmatizing attitude of psychiatrists, the research team aimed to examine this important issue among medical professionals in the mental health field.
Aim of the study:
Our aim is to investigate the stigmatizing attitudes and behaviours of adult psychiatric and child and adolescent psychiatric professionals and trainees towards people with mental illness in European countries.
The results of our study will contribute to the expansion of the existing knowledge both on national and international levels. The outcome could be used for the development of anti-stigma programs and the improvement of therapeutic options in the future.
Structure of the research:
Our study is cross-sectional and multi-centred across 35 European countries. The research team would like to measure the extent of the stigmatizing attitude and its relationship with psychosocial factors.
- Sociodemographic measures:
- sociodemographic data: age, sex
- professional data: workplace categories (university, psychiatric hospital, outpatient service, research centre); location of the workplace (capital, county seat, rural town, small town, village); years of professional experience; current psychotherapeutic activity
- personal information (related to a stigmatizing attitude): mental illness is known in his/her family or close friend, previous treatment for own mental illness, attending psychotherapy
- National version of the Opening Minds Stigma Scale for Health Care Providers (OMS-HC)
An online questionnaire will be provided for the participants of our study. Participation in the study is voluntary, and it can be terminated at any time without having to give any reasons.
Study design
- Observational model
- Cohort
- Time perspective
- Cross-sectional
- Number of arms
- 1
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Trainees and specialists in child and adult psychiatry | – | Other: anonymous online surveyThe responder must be a practising specialist or trainee in psychiatry or child and adolescent psychiatry in the participating European countries on the basis of his / her own declaration. Responders could provide their consent by choosing "I agree" on the website, after reading the information leaflet and the informed consent form. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 24 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
- Study population
- Practising specialists and trainees in adult psychiatry or child and adolescent psychiatry who work in the participating European countries
Key inclusion criteria (2 listed)
- The responder must be a practising specialist or trainee in psychiatry or child and adolescent psychiatry in one of the participating countries on the basis of his / her own declaration.
- Responders could provide their consent by choosing "I agree" on the website, after reading the information leaflet and the informed consent form. Only those participants will be able to complete the online survey who chose "I agree" on the website.
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- The choice of "I do not agree" option of the participant on the website after reading the informed consent form. The responder will be guided automatically to the end of the survey.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| anonymous online surveyAn online questionnaire will be provided for the participants of our study. Participation in the study is voluntary and it can be terminated at any time without having to give any reasons. | Other | Trainees and specialists in child and adult psychiatry |
Primary outcome
stigmatising attitude
Time frame: Baseline
The main questionnaire is the Opening Minds Stigma Scale for Health Care Providers (OMS-HC) which is a self-report questionnaire that contains 15 statements describing feelings and opinions about people with mental health problems. . In the survey, the subjects indicate on a 5-point Likert scale (1 = "strongly disagree" to 5 = "strongly agree") the extent they identify themselves with the given statement. The overall stigmatising attitude of the participants is described with the total score of the scale (minimum of 15, and a maximum of 75 points). Besides the total score, three dimensions can be calculated by evaluating the three subscales of the questionnaire (Attitude, Disclosure and Help-seeking, and Social Distance). Higher scores on a subscale and higher total scores reflect a more stigmatising attitude.
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 27 Oct 2022.
- Derived from this study: PubMed 38149261Ori D, Szocsics P, Molnar T, Motlova LB, Kazakova O, Morkl S, Wallies M, Abdulhakim M, Boivin S, Bruna K, Cabacos C, Carbone EA, Dashi E, Grech G, Greguras S, Ivanovic I, Guevara K, Kakar S, Kotsis K, Ingeholm Klinkby IM, Maslak J, Matheiken S, Mirkovic A, Nechepurenko N, Panayi A, Pereira AT, Pomarol-Clotet E, Raaj S, Prelog PR, Soler-Vidal J, Strumila R, Schuster F, Kisand H, Reim A, Ahmadova G, Vircik M, Kafali HY, Grinko N, Gyorffy Z, Rozsa S. Attitudes of psychiatrists towards people with mental illness: a cross-sectional, multicentre study of stigma in 32 European countries. EClinicalMedicine. 2023 Dec 6;66:102342. doi: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2023.102342. eCollection 2023 Dec.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Dorottya Ori, MD principal investigator
Vadaskert Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Hospital, Budapest, Hungary
31 sites in 31 countries: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
An observational study of Mental Illness and Stigmatization, run by Semmelweis University at 31 sites in 31 countries.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 2 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 27 Oct 2022. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 31 sites in Albania, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bulgaria and 26 more countries. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
stigmatising attitude (time frame: Baseline). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT04644978, which also lists 1 linked publication.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 27 Oct 2022.