Stigma and Medication Attitudes Among Women Receiving Psychotropic Treatment: A Prospective Study

Background: Mental and behavioural disorders have continued to be one of the most important public health problems entering the 21st century and have been found to account for a substantial amount of global disability, premature mortality, and long-term psychosocial burden. In a time of increasing pressure, digital saturation, financial instability (due to rising prices), and social transition, the number of people with psychiatric diseases has risen sharply. Overwhelming evidence describes that women face higher admission rates to psychiatric departments. Similarly, gender differences in mental health are compounded by the effects of biology—hormonal fluctuations during different stages of the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, postpartum period and menopause—as well as sociocultural challenges including discrimination, domestic violence and social stigma and disproportionate caregiving responsibilities. These factors shape how mental illness is experienced, understood, and accepted. Materials and Methods: A prospective study was carried out among psychiatric patients at the Department of Psychiatry in Lourdes Hospital, Ernakulam, over six months, from June to November 2025. Patient data were collected from medical records and the Lourdes Medicare System based on predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Information on demographics, comorbidities, and prescribed medications was recorded. To understand each patient's personal experience, attitudes toward medication were determined through direct conversations using the Drug Attitude Inventory-10, while perceived stigma related to mental illness was assessed using the Stigma Scale during one on one interviews. Data were scored according to standardized guidelines, entered into Microsoft Excel, and analysed descriptively to understand medication attitudes and perceived stigma among the participants. Results: Among the 81 participants, most patients had a positive attitude toward psychotropic medications, with 62 patients (76.54%) showing acceptance of their treatment. However, 16 patients (19.75%) expressed a negative attitude, while 3 patients (3.7%) remained neutral. In terms of stigma, the majority of patients (78 patients, 96.3%) experienced moderate stigma, whereas 3 patients (3.7%) reported low levels of stigma, and none of the participants reported high stigma. These findings suggest that although most patients accept their medications, experiences of stigma are still common among them. Discussion: The findings of this study show that most female psychiatric patients had a positive attitude toward psychotropic medications, indicating good acceptance of pharmacological treatment. However, a small proportion of patients expressed negative attitudes, mainly due to concerns about side effects, dependency, and misconceptions regarding long-term medication use. Despite the positive attitude toward treatment, most participants experienced moderate levels of stigma, reflecting the continued impact of societal perceptions and internalized beliefs about mental illness. These results highlight that stigma remains a significant psychosocial challenge among psychiatric patients. Strengthening patient education, counselling, and clinician–patient communication may help reduce stigma and improve medication adherence. Conclusion: This prospective study highlights the influence of stigma and medication attitudes among women attending the psychiatry department. Despite appropriate pharmacological management, the presence of treatment related stigma, fear of side effects, and concerns about dependence were found to negatively influence attitudes toward medication use and adherence.