Stigma toward mental health among medical students in Albania: a cross-sectional study

Background

Medical students, as future healthcare professionals, play a key role in shaping attitudes toward mental illness. Therefore, understanding their perceptions is essential for developing targeted interventions. Our aim was to assess the level of stigma and its demographic correlates among university students in Albania.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted between December 2025 and February 2026 among 1,053 undergraduate students (≥18 years) from University of Medicine, Tirana (response rate: 96%). Stigma was measured using the validated Opening Minds Scale for Health Care Providers (OMS-HC-15), assessing negative attitudes, social distance, and help-seeking behaviors.

Results

Higher levels of disagreement on working with individuals with mental illnesses were reported in dentistry (29.1%) and nursing (26.6%) compared to public health (6.3%) (P < 0.01). Similarly, reluctance to hire individuals with mental illnesses was the highest in nursing (35.7%) and the lowest in public health (2.0%) (P < 0.01). Younger students (18-20 years) exhibited higher levels of stigmatizing attitudes, including greater social distance and reduced willingness to engage professionally (both P ≤ 0.05). Lack of empathy was also more prevalent in younger students (69.6% vs. 4.3% among ≥24-year-olds; P = 0.02). Students who engaged in sports demonstrated lower levels of burnout and stigma-related attitudes (both P < 0.01). Differences in beliefs about recovery and disclosure were also evidenced across programs and age groups (all P ≤ 0.05).

Conclusions

Stigma toward mental health disorders persists among Albanian medical students. Our findings highlight the need for targeted educational interventions within medical curricula to promote empathy, reduce stigma and improve preparedness for working with individuals with mental health conditions.

Key messages

• Stigma toward mental illness remains common among medical students, varying by discipline and age, and may negatively affect future patient care.

• Integrating anti-stigma and mental health training into curricula is essential to build empathetic, competent future healthcare professionals.