Knowledge, attitude, and its correlates of the community toward mental illness in Mattu, South West Ethiopia

Mohammedamin Hajure Jarso; Gebiso Roba Debele; Wubishet Gezimu; Desalegn Nigatu; Mustefa Mohammedhussein; Aman Mamo; Aman Dule; Mohammedjud Hassen; Kiyar Jemal

doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2022.1018440

Knowledge, attitude, and its correlates of the community toward mental illness in Mattu, South West Ethiopia

Front Psychiatry. 2022 Nov 8:13:1018440. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.1018440. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Mohammedamin Hajure Jarso¹, Gebiso Roba Debele², Wubishet Gezimu³, Desalegn Nigatu³, Mustefa Mohammedhussein⁴, Aman Mamo⁵, Aman Dule¹, Mohammedjud Hassen⁶, Kiyar Jemal⁷

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychiatry, College of Health Sciences, Mattu University, Mattu, Ethiopia.
² Department of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Mattu University, Mattu, Ethiopia.
³ Department of Nursing, College of Health Sciences, Mattu University, Mattu, Ethiopia.
⁴ Department of Psychiatry, College of Health Sciences, Madda Walabu University, Bale, Ethiopia.
⁵ Department of Nursing, College of Health Sciences, Madda Walabu University, Shashemene, Ethiopia.
⁶ Department of Health Informatics, College of Health Sciences, Mattu University, Mattu, Ethiopia.
⁷ Department of Medical Laboratory Science, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Arba Minch University, Arba Minch, Ethiopia.

Abstract

Background: The magnitude of mental health conditions in the general population was high in low-resource settings like Ethiopia. This was accompanied by little evidence on knowledge, attitudes, and related determinants in the general population. Therefore, the current survey is planned to assess the knowledge, attitude, and related factors of the community toward mental illness in Mattu, South West Ethiopia.

Objectives: Our study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude, and related factors of the community toward mental illness in Mattu, South West Ethiopia.

Methods: A community-based cross-sectional survey was conducted in South West Ethiopia, Mattu town from 1 April-20 June, 2022 using a systematic random sampling, a multistage stratified technique from 649 households, and employed an interviewer-administered pre-tested semi-structured English version questionnaire. Epi-data Version 3.1 and SPSS-V-23.3 were employed for data entry and analysis respectively. A statistically significant association was declared at a P-value ≤ 0.05 at a 95% confidence interval.

Results: In the current study, poor knowledge regarding, and unfavorable attitudes toward, mental illness among study respondents were 28% (182) 95% CI (24.3, 31.6) and 60.4% (392) 95% CI (56.5, 64.3), respectively. After controlling for potential confounders, being self-employed was independently associated with poor knowledge [AOR = 3.1, 95%CI (1.65, 4.28)]. Moreover, current use of substances [AOR = 1.64 95%CI (1.09, 5.98)] and not hearing information about mental illness from social media have been shown to be associated in the final model with an unfavorable attitude [AOR = 3.44 95%CI (1.98, 5.99)].

Conclusion and recommendation: About one-third and more than one-half of the study participants showed poor knowledge and an unfavorable attitude, respectively. Compared to similar global and local findings, there was better community knowledge and a poor attitude toward mental illness in the area. Unfavorable attitudes toward mental illness were found to be exacerbated by participants not hearing about it on social media and by current substance use. Moreover, being self-employed was independently associated with poor knowledge of mental illness. Hence, all concerned stakeholders need to enhance mental health advocacy to improve public knowledge and attitude toward mental illness through media campaigns with a special focus on common substances. In addition, due attention should be given to self-employed groups of society to reduce the impacts of mental health conditions.

Keywords: Ethiopia; Mattu; attitude; knowledge; mental illness.