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S650

24th European Congress of Psychiatry / European Psychiatry 33S (2016) S349–S805

Background

Stigma towards mental illness has a major impact

on the quality of life and the health care of psychiatric patients.

Several studies have reported that health professionals have more

negative attitudes than general population.

Aims

To explore empathy and attitudes towards mental illness

in nursing students (NS) and non-health university students. Our

purpose is to see how NS have more empathic and less stigma-

tizing attitudes towards psychiatric patients, compared to other

university students.

Methods

We tested 96 university students (50 NS and 46 non-

health university students), with the following questionnaires

anonymously filled out:

– Community attitudes towards mental ill (CAMI), to evaluate the

different students’ attitudes towards mental illness;

– Empathy quotient (EQ), to assess empathy.

Results

NS differs from the other group in 5 items of CAMI

(

P

< 0.05 in 3 items and

P

< 0.01 in 2 items), and Authoritarian-

ism subscale (

P

= 0.023). This shows that NS have a greater general

awareness and less stigmatizing attitudes about the need to hospi-

talize the mentally ill, the difference between psychiatric patients

and general population, the wrong need of segregation and the real

causes of mental illness. There is also a significant difference in EQ

(items 6, 21, 25, 44, 59): future nurses seemto have a slightly higher

empathy, even though the EQ total score does not differ in the two

groups.

Conclusions

These results suggest that there is a difference with

respect to the attitudes towards psychiatric patients in NS and

students who do not follow health-care courses: NS have more

empathetic and less stigmatizing attitudes.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their decla-

ration of competing interest.

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.eurpsy.2016.01.1926

EV942

Different attitudes toward psychiatry

and psychiatric patients in nursing

students: Can personal experiences

reduce stigma?

M. Pascucci

1 ,

, G. Rubini

1

, E. Stella

1

, M. La Montagna

1

,

F. Capobianco

1

, A. Ventriglio

1

, A. De Angelis

2

, P. Parente

3

,

L. Janiri

2

, G. Pozzi

2

, V. Di Nunzio

1

, G. Piemontese

1

, A. Bellomo

1

1

University of Foggia, institute of psychiatry, Foggia, Italy

2

Catholic university of the Sacred Heart, department of psychiatry,

Rome, Italy

3

Catholic university of the Sacred Heart, institute of hygiene and

public health, Rome, Italy

Corresponding author.

Background

Psychiatric patients often do not receive the same

health treatment reserved for patients with no mental disorders.

Stigma in mental-health nurses can worsen the patients’ healing

time and quality of care.

Objective

To explore the different attitudes towards mental ill-

ness and psychiatry in nursing students (NS) of the first and the

final year of university, and the importance of having visited a

psychiatric ward and having known a psychiatric patient.

Methods

Fifty NS completed the following tests:

– Community attitudes towards mental ill (CAMI);

– Attitudes towards psychiatry (ATP-30);

– Empathy quotient (EQ).

Results

NS of the final year differ significantly from those of the

first year in 4 CAMI items, in Authoritarianism subscale (

P

= 0.041),

Social Restrictiveness (

P

= 0.029) and Community Mental Health

Ideology (

P

= 0.045), indicating a more mature and responsible

approach to psychiatric patients, without considering thema threat

to be secluded. EQ does not show a significant difference in empa-

thy, not even considering the individual items. Final year NS also

have more positive attitudes toward Psychiatry in 3 ATP-30 items

and total score (

P

= 0.01). Those who visited a psychiatric ward have

more positive attitudes towards mental illness and Psychiatry, in

6 CAMI items and 3 ATP-30 items. Having personally known a

psychiatric patient leads to positive attitudes in only a few CAMI

items.

Conclusions

Last-year NS, who have had more direct rela-

tionships with patients through practical training, have more

empathetic and less stigmatizing attitudes. It is also very useful

to attend a psychiatric ward during the nursing training.

Normal 0 14 false false false IT X-NONE X-NONE.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their decla-

ration of competing interest.

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.eurpsy.2016.01.1927

EV943

The development of headucate in

mental health awareness

A. Patel

, V. Soundararajan , J. Beezhold

University of East Anglia, Norfolk and Suffolk NHS foundation trust,

Norwich, United Kingdom

Corresponding author.

Introduction

Headucate is a pioneering student-led society at the

University of East Anglia (UEA), founded in 2012. Mental health

stigma exists widely and is a well-known barrier to accessing sup-

port. This presents a need for education and raising awareness

about mental illness.

Objectives

The goal is to spread mental health awareness locally,

measured by school outreach and events organised. This is achiev-

able through Headucate’s collaboration with the university and

schools to convey the message each year.

Aims

Headucate aims to raise mental health awareness and

tackle stigma, with the intention of reaching the university, schools

locally and communities nationally.

Methods

Headucate delivers workshops for secondary schools.

This involves interactive sessions to stimulate discussions about

mental health and illness, and where to find help. Additionally,

there are university-held talks froma variety of guest speakers who

are experts in this field.

Results

It has expanded beyond medical students to involve the

whole university, with a shared interest in mental health aware-

ness. Research conducted by Headucate in 2014-2015 has indicated

there is a statistically significant (

P

< 0.001) increase in the knowl-

edge about mental illness and knowing where to get help following

school workshops.

Conclusions

The success has transformed from starting as an idea

into one of UEA’s largest student societies which will continue to

expand. Future goals include a mental health awareness campaign

and collaborating with student groups at the university, to host

events that link mental health to other causes. Furthermore, Hea-

ducate is hoping to expand outreach to the elderly community.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their decla-

ration of competing interest.

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.eurpsy.2016.01.1928

EV944

Factors influencing attitudes towards

seeking professional psychological

help: Findings from a multi-ethnic

Asian population-based study

L. Picco

, E. Abdin , S.A. Chong , S. Pang , S. Shafie , J. Vaingankar ,

M. Subramaniam

Institute of mental health, research, Singapore, Singapore

Corresponding author.

Introduction

Various socio-demographic variables have been

shown to influence attitudes towards seeking professional