Abstract of A. Sinai lecture

EVALUATION OF ATTITUDES OF MEDICAL STUDENTS

TOWARDS PEOPLE WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES: A

LONDON-BASED STUDY

A. Sinai1, A. Hassiotis2, A. Strydom2

1 The Kingswood Centre, UK; 2 Department of Mental Health Sciences,

University College London, UK

Background: It is increasingly recognised that people with intellectual

disabilities have poorer access to health care. One of the

recommendations from a national inquiry in 2008 was compulsory

undergraduate medical teaching about people with intellectual

disabilities. Aim: This study aims to evaluate the attitudes of medical

students towards people with intellectual disabilities. We hypothesised

that knowledge and attitude will change over the course of a fourteen

week Neurosciences block, which included a taught intellectual

disabilities module and opportunity to undertake a clinical placement.

Method: We conducted a naturalistic prospective study. Participants

were medical students at University College London Medical School,

part of the University of London. Data was collected at the beginning

and at the end of each of the three fourteen week Neurosciences

blocks during the year. Attitude was measured using a self-report

questionnaire, including an amended short form of the Community

Living Attitudes Scale (CLAS). Results: 136 students completed the

questionnaire at the beginning and 133 at the end of the block. By the

end of the block, medical students had increased knowledge of

intellectual disability. Medical students showed generally favourable

attitudes towards people with intellectual disabilities but there was no

significant change in attitude. Conclusion: This study contributes to

thinking about teaching medical students about people with intellectual

disabilities within an established psychiatric curriculum. Medical

educators, alongside many others, play an important role in

influencing attitude towards people with intellectual disabilities.

Attitude may be subtle and difficult to measure or to change but is

nonetheless important.