Table 3 MICA ¹ baseline and follow-up median disagreement and significance

Q1. I just learn about psychiatry because it’s in the exam and would not bother reading additional material on it

4

4

1; 2.5; 30;

2; 7.5; 17;

NS

24; 32; 10.5

38.5; 24; 11

Q2. People with a severe mental illness can never recover enough to have a good quality of life

5

4.5

1; 3; 5;

3; 6.5; 11;

0.001**

26.5; 40.5; 24

29; 38; 12.5

Q3. Psychiatry is just as scientific as other field of medicine

3

3

6; 42; 35;

7; 35.5; 27;

0.046**

13; 3; 1

21; 8.5; 1

Q4. If I had a mental illness I would never admit this to any of my friends for fear of being treated differently

3

4

4; 13; 39;

2.5; 9; 32;

NS

18; 20; 6

28.5; 23; 5

Q5. People with a severe mental illness are dangerous more often than not

5

5

0; 4.5; 15;

0; 6.0; 14.5;

NS

29; 40; 11.5

29; 41; 9.5

Q6. Psychiatrists know more about the lives of people treated for a mental illness than do family members of friends

3

3

2; 16; 44.5;

4.5; 15; 34;

NS

24.5; 11; 2

28; 17; 1.5

Q7. If I had a mental illness I would never admit this to any of my colleagues for fear of being treated differently

3

3

8; 23; 42;

9.5; 20.5; 37.5;

NS

18; 7; 2

20; 10.5; 2

Q8. Being a psychiatrist is not like being a real doctor

5

5

0; 2; 10;

1; 1; 8.5;

NS

18; 14; 28

21; 41.5; 27

Q9.If a psychiatrist asked me to treat people with a mental illness in a disrespectful manner, I would not follow their instructions

2

2

36; 42; 15;

39; 40.5; 11.5;

NS

2.5; 2.5; 2

4.5; 2; 2.5

Q10. I feel as comfortable talking to a person with a mental illness as I do those with physical illness

4

3

4.5; 18; 23;

12.5; 36; 27;

0.0001*

38.5; 15; 1

19; 4.5; 1

Q11. It is important that any doctor supporting a person with a mental illness also assesses their physical health

2

1

31.5; 53.5; 14;

52; 40.5; 6.5;

0.0001*

0; 1; 0

1; 0; 0

Q12. The public does not need to be protected from people with a severe mental illness

4

4

1; 11; 24.5;

2; 10; 20;

0.041**

43; 19; 12

34; 22.5; 11.5

Q13. If a person with a mental illness complained of physical symptoms, I would attribute it to their mental illness

5

5

0; 1; 7;

0; 2; 6.5;

NS

33; 49; 10

34.5; 41; 16

Q14. GP’s should not be expected to complete assessment for people with psychiatric symptoms as they can be referred to a psychiatrist

5

5

0; 2; 11;

1.5; 3; 7;

NS

29; 46; 12

32.5; 42; 14

Q15. I would use the terms ‘crazy’, ‘nutter’, ‘mad’ etc. to describe people with a mental illness who I have seen in my work

5

5

1.5; 4.5; 11;

1.5; 7; 15.5;

NS

18; 35; 30

23; 26.5; 26.5

Q16. If a colleague told me they had a mental illness I would still want to work with them

2

2

21; 57; 18;

31.5; 48.5; 15;

NS

2; 1; 1

3.5; 1.5; 0