Evaluation of Pharmacists' Attitudes toward Mental Health Care, Psychiatrists and Mentally Ill Patients

Over recent years, there has been a steady increase of pharmacists interaction with psyhiatrists and mentally ill patients. Thus, this study was set out to evaluate the attitudes of pharmacists toward psychiatrists, mentally ill patients and mental health care in a neuro-psyhiatric hospital. We have adapted with modification a pretested survey instrument comprised 28 statements, which the respondents rated on a five-step Likert scale. These questionnaires were distributed to all the fifty pharmacists listed, out of which 37 (74%) respondents perceived psychiatrists, hospital for mental health care and psychiatric patients in a favourable manner. The psychiatrists were viewed as reliable professionals with established expertise, and psychiatric patients were considered to be harmless similar to normal individuals. The pharmacists attitudes toward hospital for mental health care were slightly tended in the positive direction.