Acceptability of Mental Health Services for Anxiety and Depression in an Arab Sample

Community Ment Health J. 2018 Aug;54(6):875-883. doi: 10.1007/s10597-018-0235-y. Epub 2018 Jan 24.

Abstract

The aim of this paper was to examine the acceptability and use of mental health services in an Arab sample. An Internet survey was made available to Arab people worldwide and enquired about the acceptability of traditional face-to-face and internet-delivered mental health services. Five hundred and three participants were recruited via media and Facebook promotions. Of those surveyed, 36% (183/503), 46% (233/503), and 73% (365/503) reported that they would be willing to consult a mental health professional, take prescription medication and try an internet-delivered psychological treatment, respectively. Moderate to high acceptability rates for mental health services were found in this sample of Arab people. High acceptability of internet-delivered treatments among the current Arab sample, provides the opportunity for directing resources to the development of internet-delivered interventions to help reduce the stigma and burden of mental disease in the Arab world.

Keywords: Anxiety and depression; Arabs; Internet-delivered treatments; Mental health services.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Algeria / ethnology
  • Anxiety / epidemiology
  • Anxiety / psychology*
  • Anxiety / therapy
  • Arabs / psychology*
  • Arabs / statistics & numerical data*
  • Australia
  • Depression / epidemiology
  • Depression / psychology*
  • Depression / therapy
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Internet
  • Male
  • Mental Health Services / statistics & numerical data
  • Middle Aged
  • Middle East / epidemiology
  • Patient Acceptance of Health Care* / statistics & numerical data
  • Sex Distribution
  • Social Stigma
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Telemedicine / methods
  • Therapy, Computer-Assisted
  • Young Adult