Mental health literacy in Arab states of the Gulf Cooperation Council: A systematic review

Abstract

Background Mental health literacy (MHL) has been relatively neglected, despite the increase of mental health illnesses worldwide, as well as within the Middle East region. A low level of MHL may hinder public acceptance of evidence-based mental health care. Aim This systematic review aims to identify and appraise existing research, focusing on MHL among adults in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. Methods A systematic search of electronic databases (PubMed, PsychInfo, and Medline) was carried out from database inception to July 2019, in order to identify peer-reviewed journal articles that investigated MHL in the GCC countries. Studies were eligible for inclusion if they were: cross-sectional studies, reported in English, targeted adults (aged 18 and above), conducted in any of the GCC countries, include at least one outcome measure of the main components of MHL: knowledge of mental illnesses and their treatment, stigmatizing attitudes towards mental illnesses, and seeking help for self and offering help. Results A total of 27 studies (16,391 participants) were included. The outcome across studies varied due to disparity in the tested populations. Findings show that limited MHL was observed among participants, even health care professionals. Results also show a high cumulative level of stigma and negative attitude towards mental health illness in the public. Negative beliefs and inappropriate practices are common, as well. The majority of studies yielded a moderate to high risk of bias. Conclusion This work indicates that research on MHL must be tackled through well-designed large-scale studies of the public. Campaigns to promote early identification and treatment of mental illness is also encouraged to improve overall level of MHL in the general population of the GCC region. Registration number: PROSPERO 2018 CRD42018104492.

Mental health literacy among primary healthcare workers in South Africa and Zambia

“…In contrast, a systematic review found that factors associated with a lower recognition of mental illness across all demographics included young adults, illiteracy, and females (Elyamani et al, 2021).…”

Premarital mental health screening among the Saudi population

“…The results showed an overall high level of stigma and negative attitudes towards mental health in the general population. 23 The awareness of the Saudi population has also been assessed regarding bipolar disorder, in a study concluding that 52% had heard of bipolar disorder, 49% did not consider psychiatric medication to be an effective treatment for bipolar disorder, and more than half chose to pray instead of seeking treatment. 24 In 2016, a study concluded that although 87% of people believe that depression is a medical condition requiring treatment, 45.98% believe that antidepressants are addictive.…”

Prevalence and Predictive Factors of Masked Depression and Anxiety among Jordanian and Palestinian Couples: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…At this time, it is likely that unpleasant childhood experiences, childhood and adolescent depression and anxiety disorders, societal roles associated with unfavourable experiences, and psychological characteristics linked to susceptibility to life events and coping mechanisms will be implicated. However, it is still difficult to integrate the factors influencing gender differences in mental problems into comprehensive etiological models [ 40 , 41 ].…”

“…This could indicate that the higher the education levels, the better BDI-II and HAM-A scores. In the Middle and Far East, many studies have shown an association between poor education and poor mental health, which is partially mediated by health literacy [ 40 , 51 ]. This could suggest that many recruited participants with clinically significant depressive and anxiety symptoms did not seek medical help as they lack the knowledge about the clinical presentation of mental problems.…”