Background: Stigma associated with depression and antidepressants is strong among the general population but also among patients and health professionals.
Objectives: This cross-sectional study is aimed at: 1) evaluating the knowledge and attitude towards antidepressant by nursing student; 2) exploring the association between instruction in psychiatry and representation of depression and antidepressants.
Participants: 2037 undergraduate students from 10 French nursing schools were invited to participate in 2017, 1475 (73%) completed the questionnaire.
Methods: The self-report questionnaire included the Drug Attitude Inventory (DAI) and questions about representation on depression and antidepressant. Four groups of students were built: 1) pre-teaching group (PT) as a reference group, 2) clinical training in psychiatry (CT), 3) receiving mental health theoretical education (TE), 4) receiving both (CT + TE).
Results: The mean (standard deviation) DAI score was negative: -1.9 (±4.4) with only 40% of the nursing students conveying a positive attitude towards antidepressant. A combination of CT and TE was associated with a more positive attitude towards antidepressant in comparison with the PT condition. The CT + TE group was more prone to view antidepressants as effective and safe.
Conclusion: There is strong stigma against depression/antidepressants among nursing student. Education combined with clinical experiences in psychiatry improved these representations.
Keywords: Antidepressant; Belief; Depression; Nurse; Psychiatry; Stigma; Student.
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