title: Attitudes toward psychiatry: a survey of medical students at the University of Nairobi, Kenya.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The authors aim to determine the attitudes of University of Nairobi, Kenya, medical students toward psychiatry.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study design was cross-sectional. Self-administered sociodemographic and the Attitudes Toward Psychiatry-30 items (ATP-30) questionnaires were distributed sequentially to every third medical student in his or her lecture theater before or immediately after the lectures. Analysis was done using SPSS version 11.5 and the results are presented in tables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nearly 75% of the students had overall favorable attitudes toward psychiatry but only 14.3% considered psychiatry as a potential career choice. Sixty-six percent reported that they would not choose psychiatry as a career while the remaining 19.7% were not decided.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is dissonance between positive attitudes toward psychiatry and the choice of psychiatry as a potential career. Therefore, there is a need to bridge the gap by addressing the various factors that potentially account for this dissonance.
authors: Department of Psychiatry, University of Nairobi, Kenya. dmndetei@mentalhealthafrica.com
authors: David M
authors: DM
authors: Ndetei
authors: Lincoln
authors: L
authors: Khasakhala
authors: Francisca
authors: F
authors: Ongecha-Owuor
authors: Mary
authors: M
authors: Kuria
authors: Victoria
authors: V
authors: Mutiso
authors: Judy
authors: J
authors: Syanda
authors: Donald
authors: D
authors: Kokonya
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002321:Career Choice; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003906:Developing Countries; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007630:Kenya; D008297:Male; D011570:Psychiatry / Q000193:education*; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires