According to the recent literature, stigma connected to schizophrenia has a negative impact on the commencement, process and the outcome of the treatment. The aim of this study was to investigate the attitude of nurses from our local community towards schizophrenia.

This study engaged 166 nurses (8 male, 158 female) employed at the Clinical Hospital in Osijek and the Primary Medical Care in Osjecko-baranjska County. The subjects have filled out the Canadian Community Antistigma Questionnaire during 3 mental health lectures for nurses.

Out of total of 166 nurses, 74.7% (124) of them has heard something about schizophrenia in the last couple of months. 45.8% (76) of nurses was employed at the institution that treated patients with mental illness. 34.3% (57) of nurses personally knew someone who was diagnosed with schizophrenia or were treated for schizophrenia themselves. The results have shown an extensive knowledge of the facts related to schizophrenia among the nurses in our local community. It has also emerged that the attitude to the person with schizophrenia is more negative, and the level of stigma is higher as the higher emotional involvement is required.

Medical staff has a good level of knowledge about schizophrenia. Emotional acceptance of the person with schizophrenia is lower as the closer contact is required. Because the results show a certain degree of stigma to schizophrenia in the population of nurses in our local community, it would be necessary to develop specific anti-stigma programs for medical staff.