European Psychiatry - Volume 33 - March 2016

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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.
EV942
Different attitudes toward psychiatry
and psychiatric patients in nursing
students: Can personal experiences
reduce stigma?
M. Pascucci ∗, G. Rubini , E. Stella , M. La Montagna ,
F. Capobianco , A. Ventriglio , A. De Angelis , P. Parente ,
L. Janiri , G. Pozzi , V. Di Nunzio , G. Piemontese , A. Bellomo
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.
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.
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