Characteristics associated with negative attitudes toward mental illness among US veterinarians

Details

• Alternative Title:
  J Am Vet Med Assoc
• Personal Author:
  Kassem, Ahmed M. ; Witte, Tracy K. ; Nett, Randall J. ; Carter, Kris K.
• Description:
  OBJECTIVE
  
  To explore associations between demographic, occupational, and mental health characteristics and negative attitudes toward mental illness among veterinarians.
  
  DESIGN
  
  Cross–sectional survey.
  
  SAMPLE
  
  9,522 veterinarians employed in the United States.
  
  PROCEDURES
  
  Data from a previously conducted voluntary, anonymous, web–based survey were used. Negative attitude was defined as slight or strong disagreement with 2 statements: “Treatment can help people with mental illness lead normal lives” (treatment effectiveness) and “People are generally caring and sympathetic to people with mental illness” (social support). Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify variables associated with negative attitudes.
  
  RESULTS
  
  Of the 9,522 respondents, 69.2% (n = 6,585) were female, 47.5% (4,523) were 40 to 59 years old, 3.1% (291) had a negative attitude toward treatment effectiveness, and 47.3% (4,504) had a negative attitude toward social support. After adjusting for other variables, negative attitude toward treatment effectiveness was significantly more likely in males (vs females), solo (vs nonsolo) practitioners, those with (vs without) evidence of serious psychological distress, and those reporting (vs reporting no) suicidal ideation after graduating from veterinary school. A negative attitude toward social support was significantly more likely in 40 to 59 (vs 20 to 39) year olds, solo (vs nonsolo) practitioners, those with (vs without) evidence of serious psychological distress, and those reporting (vs reporting no) depression after graduating from veterinary school.
  
  CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE
  
  Characteristics such as age, sex, practice setting, and mental illness history might be useful to consider when targeting interventions to support and educate veterinarians about mental illness.
  
  
• Subjects:
  Article
• Source:
  J Am Vet Med Assoc. 254(8):979-985
• Pubmed ID:
  30938608
• Pubmed Central ID:
  PMC6554711
• Document Type:
  Journal Article
• Funding:
  CC999999/Intramural CDC HHS/United States
• Volume:
  254
• Issue:
  8
• Collection(s):
  CDC Public Access
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha256:6db7a963b887a550e47370b5bd7ab940ca2a1888a334eb7a9f03d3d65e2806ff
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/86794/cdc_86794_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 103.80 KB ]