Philippine E-Journals

Knowledge, attitude and practices (KAP) of nursing staff regarding depressive disorders in a private hospital in Quezon City, Philippines

Hecil A. Cruz | Melissa Paulita V. Mariano

 

Abstract:

Introduction There is limited data regarding the knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) of nurses towards psychiatric disorders in the Philippines. Hence, this study aimed to assess the KAP of nursing staff in a tertiary hospital on depressive disorders and determine differences in their KAP in relation to sociodemographic variables. Methods The study, which involved 116 Filipino nurses, was divided into two phases. Phase 1 was the creation and validation of a KAP questionnaire, and Phase 2 was a descriptive cross-sectional study to determine the KAP of the nurses using the validated questionnaire. Frequencies and differences in KAP scores in relation to sociodemographic variables were analyzed using independent t-test, ANOVA and chi-square via SPSS v.24. Ethics approval was secured for both phases of the study. Results The questionnaire was validated after two rounds of expert validation. Phase 2 results revealed that the mean knowledge of nurses was lower than expected. They had overall good attitudes, with nurses without previous mental health work experience having higher attitude scores towards functioning and prognosis. However, specific negative attitudes were noted. Overall, good practices were also noted, with 42.2% of the sample having had encountered a depressed patient at work and male nurses having higher practice scores compared to females. Conclusion The nurses had overall good attitude and practices, but still had inadequate knowledge and some negative attitudes towards depressive disorders. This signifies the need for continuing mental health education among nursing staff in the Philippines.