title: Consumer-led mental health education for pharmacy students.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate a consumer-led teaching intervention to reduce pharmacy students' stigma towards depression and schizophrenia, and improve attitudes toward providing pharmaceutical care for consumers with mental illness.
  
  
  METHODS
  Third-year bachelor of pharmacy degree students were given a series of mental health lectures, undertook supervised weekly placements in the community pharmacy setting, and attended a tutorial led by trained mental health consumer educators.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A previously validated 26-item survey instrument was administered at baseline, 6 weeks postintervention, and 12 months postintervention, and 3 focus groups were conducted. Survey instruments were completed by 225 students at baseline, 230 students postintervention, and 228 students at 12 months. Students' stigma decreased (p < 0.05) and their attitudes toward the provision of pharmaceutical services to consumers with a mental illness showed significant improvements (p < 0.05). These improvements were maintained at the 12-month follow-up. Four themes emerged from the focus groups: knowledge and experience of mental illness, mental health stigma, impacts on attitudes and self-reported behavior, and the role of the pharmacist in mental healthcare.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Consumer-led education for pharmacy students may provide a sustainable reduction in stigma and improve attitudes towards providing pharmaceutical services to consumers with a mental illness.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Pharmacy, The University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. claire.oreilly@sydney.edu.au
authors.forename: Claire L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: O'Reilly
authors.forename: J Simon
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Bell
authors.forename: Timothy F
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003157:Community Pharmacy Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003625:Data Collection; D004512:Education, Pharmacy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration; D010595:Pharmacists / Q000458:organization & administration; D024382:Professional Role; D013240:Stereotyping; D013339:Students, Pharmacy / Q000523:psychology*; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods; D055815:Young Adult