A Descriptive Study to Assess the Knowledge and Attitude Regarding Mental Illness and Its Treatment among Adults of Selected Rural Population in District Patiala, Punjab

Abstract

A mental disorder or mental illness is a psychological or behavioral pattern generally associated with
subjective distress or disability that occurs in an individual, and which is not a part of normal development
or culture. Descriptive research design was adopted in the study .The study was conducted in village in
District Patiala, Punjab. It has total 3000 population. 150 adults were selected from the selected village in
District Patiala, Punjab. A survey was performed and adults who met the inclusion criteria were selected
by using non probability purposive sampling technique. Based on the Research problem and objectives
the following steps were undertaken to select and develop data collection tool. Demographic Performa
to assess demographic variables and, self structured questionnaire to assess the knowledge of adults and
Likert’s scale to assess the attitude of adults regarding mental illness and its treatment was selected. The
present study shows that mean knowledge score regarding knowledge of mental illness was (7.9) and mean
attitude score regarding mental illness and its treatment was (34.4.) Correlation of knowledge and attitude
score regarding mental illness and its treatment was found to had no correlation (r-=0.106) as calculated
by Karl Pearson’s coefficient of correlation which is statistically non significant. Association of two sociodemographic
variables with the knowledge score was found to statistically significant.