Knowledge and attitudes of rural community members' in Ga-Dikgale towards mental illness

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to investigate knowledge and attitudes of rural community members towards mental illness. A total of 249 participants were selected through simple random sampling from Dikgopeng community, Ga-Dikgale, through the Krejcie and Morgan’s (1970) table. A simple random sampling method was employed in selecting the participants. A quantitative cross-sectional research study was administered using the Mental Attitude Knowledge Scale (MAKS) and Attitude Scale of Mental Illness (ASMI). The MAKS and ASMI are structured 5-point Linkert scale questionnaires translated from English into Sepedi. Demographic data were collected and administered using the demographic questionnaire. The Statistical Package for the Social Science (SPSS) software package for Windows (Version 24) was used to analyse data collected and to draw conclusions from this. Two hypotheses were drawn from the study to help understand the aim of the study. Hypothesis one entailed that there is a significant difference in the level of knowledge towards mental illness by members of GaDikgale community, according to gender and age. According to the present study, there was a mean effect of gender with male participants being more knowledgeable about mental illness as compared to female participants. It was revealed that there was no effect of age on the knowledge scale. Hypothesis two detailed that there is a significant difference in attitudes on mental illness by members of GaDikgale community according to gender and age. From the study, there was a positive attitude towards people with mental illness by the older participants than there was with the younger participants. There was no effect of gender on attitudes towards mental illness. It is shown from the present study that within rural communities, with the majority (57%) of the participants being lay people, mental illness is regarded as a burden for the family, contributing to isolation and poor access to adequate western treatment. Reintegration after treatment and positive recovery is difficult because of lack of knowledge and negative attitudes towards individuals diagnosed with mental illnesses. The burdensome existence of stigmatisation is the consequence of ignorance or misinformation, prejudiced attitudes and or exclusion from normal forms of social participation (Thornicroft, Rose, Kassam & Sartorius, 2007).