Mental health and stigma in Saudi Arabia: a scoping review

Abstract

Purpose Stigma associated with mental health problems is widespread in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Consequently, this may prevent many Saudi people from accessing the mental health-care services and support they need. The purpose of this study is to consider how stigma affects people needing to access mental health services in the KSA. To achieve this aim, this study reviews the knowledge base concerning stigma and mental health in KSA and considers specific further research necessary to increase the knowledge and understanding in this important area. Design/methodology/approach This review examines the relevant literature concerning mental health stigma and related issues in KSA using the Arksey and O'Malley and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses frameworks. As a scoping review, it has used a systematic approach in literature searching. The results of the search were then thematically analysed and the themes were then discussed in light of the concepts of stigma and mental health. Findings Stigma around mental health impedes access to care, the nature of care and current clinical practice in the KSA. The voices of those with mental health issues in KSA are almost entirely unrepresented in the literature. Originality/value The review identifies that mental health stigma and cultural beliefs about mental health in KSA may act as barriers to accessing services. The voice of mental health service users in KSA remains largely unheard. If public discussion of mental health issues can increase, people’s experiences of accessing services may be improved.

Mind-Body dualism and medical student attitudes toward mental illness in Saudi Arabia

“…[18][19][20][21] Recent research suggests that mental illness stigma in Saudi Arabia continues to be a concern and has effects on access to and quality of care. 22,23 The findings of this study argue that sufficient focus on the biological aspects of mental disorders and mental phenomena in general may help to improve these attitudes and combat stigma. The present study found a relationship between how much a disorder is viewed as biological and how much patients with the disorder are viewed as responsible for their illness.…”

Lifetime prevalence and treatment of mental disorders in Saudi youth and adolescents

“…First, causality cannot be implied by any of the significant associations found in our cross-sectional study. Second, respondents’ retrospective recall—subject to error and bias—in addition to stigma attached to reporting mental health concerns 107 , 112 , may have led to underestimates of lifetime prevalence 113 . Third, some segments of the population such as those who are institutionalized or do not speak Arabic were excluded from the SNMHS sample 59 ; the under-representation of these groups may also have led to lower prevalence and treatment estimates.…”

Prevalence and Correlates of Depression and Anxiety Among Jordanian Adolescents: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…In addition, Jordanian female adolescents were not only found to have higher odds of developing mental health problems but also higher odds of living with mental illness-related stigma than their male counterparts (Dardas et al, 2017). Evidently, stigma is prevalent in Arabic societies, and people with mental illness suffer from rejection and isolation (AlAteeq et al, 2018; Alattar et al, 2021; Dardas, 2017; Jaber et al, 2015; Koenig et al, 2014; Sewilam et al, 2015). This is because mental illness is still linked to evil eyes, magic, and sometimes to punishment from God, addiction, and in extreme cases, suicide (Koenig et al, 2014).…”