Community knowledge and attitude towards mental illness and its associated factors in Dodoma urban central Tanzania: A cross-sectional study

Access to mental health services and care is hindered by stigmatizing attitude and lack of community knowledge about mental illness. The study aimed to assess the community knowledge and attitude towards mental illness and its associated factors in Dodoma urban, central Tanzania. A community-based analytical cross-sectional study was conducted among 204 participants in Dodoma urban central Tanzania, from July to September 2021. A structured questionnaire adapted from the previous studies was used to collect data from the study participants. A multistage sampling technique was used to select study participants. The factors associated with community knowledge and attitude toward mental illness were established using bivariable and multivariable binary logistic regression models. Majority of respondents have adequate knowledge (67.6%) and positive attitude (55.4%) toward mental illness. Unwilling to visit (61.3%), marry (80.4%), and share a room (52%), were the common identified community stigmatizing attitude toward people with mental illness. The multivariable binary logistic regression model revealed that, age [aOR = 9.94: 95% CI; 1.04-94.97: p = 0.046], ethnicity [aOR = 4.45: 95% CI; 1.20-16.53: p = 0.026], and occupation [aOR = 0.19: 95% CI; 0.04-0.85: p = 0.029] were the social demographic factors associated with community attitude toward mental illness. While, sex [aOR = 5.85: 95% CI; 1.77-19.34: p = 0.004], religion [aOR = 0.36: 95% CI; 0.14-0.93: p = 0.034], marital status [aOR = 0.16: 95% CI; 0.03-0.9: p = 0.039], and occupation [aOR = 18.69: 95% CI; 2.10-166.79: p = 0.009] were the social demographic factors associated with community knowledge regarding mental illness. The study revealed that more than half of respondents displayed a common stigmatizing attitude of not being willing to share a room, marry, or visit a mentally ill person, despite the participants' adequate knowledge and favorable attitude. Using strategies like the provision of mental health education, forming community-based mental health organizations, and launching public mental health campaigns will help to improve community mental health awareness and reduce negative attitudes.