Intervention to Reduce Serious Mental Illness and Suicide Stigma Among Medical Students

People with serious mental illness (PSMI; i.e. Schizophrenia and bipolar disorder) die, on average, 25 years earlier than the general population. Suicide is a key factor for this disparity as it is the leading cause of unnatural deaths among this population. Research identifies Latinos as a particularly vulnerable group, accounting for one of the highest rates (over 30%) of serious mental illness (SMI) among ethnic minorities in the United States (US). Latinos also hold one of the highest prevalence of suicide ideation and attempts (SIA) with rates of 10.1% and 4.4% respectively. This scenario worsens for one Latino subgroup, Puerto Ricans, who have the highest prevalence of SMI (36%) and SIA among Latinos in the US (7.9% and 3.5% respectively). Taken together, these facts present a concerning scenario for Latinos, especially Puerto Ricans with SMI/SIA. Health professionals play a key role in identifying SMI/SIA among patients; unfortunately, SMI/SIA stigma hinders this process. The proposed study aims to: 1) develop the content of an intervention to reduce SMI/SIA stigma among medical students, 2) determine the acceptability and feasibility of implementing the intervention among medical students by examining recruitment/screening procedures, participation/refusal/retention rates, and participant satisfaction, and; 3) pilot test the preliminary efficacy of the intervention in reducing SMI/SIA stigma among medical students by increasing knowledge of SMI and SIA, reducing negative attitudes towards SMI/SIA and increasing behavioral skills for providing healthcare to PSMI.