Help-Seeking Behaviour of Patients Attending the Psychiatric Service in a Sample of United Arab Emirates Population

Mohamed Omar Salem, Bader Saleh, Said Yousef and Sufyan Sabri
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Mohamed Omar Salem: Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, UAE University, UAE, mohamed.salem@uaeu.ac.ae
Bader Saleh: Arab Board in Psychiatry, Psychiatric Specialist, Al-Ain Hospital, Al Ain, UAE
Said Yousef: Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, UAE University, UAE
Sufyan Sabri: Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, UAE University, UAE

International Journal of Social Psychiatry, 2009, vol. 55, issue 2, 141-148

Abstract: Background: Many patients suffering from psychiatric disorders seek non-professional care before attending specialized services. Aims: To study the help-seeking behaviour of patients referred to the psychiatric department of Al-Ain Hospital, which is the main university teaching hospital in UAE. Methods: This study was a descriptive cross-sectional epidemiological survey. All new patients attending the psychiatry out-patient clinic at Al-Ain Hospital were screened for nine consecutive months from March to November 2003 inclusive. Results: The sample consisted of 106 patients (52 male; 54 female). Prior to presenting to the psychiatric service, 44.8% consulted faith healers, 31% of whom had had a previous experience with them; 45% reported some improvement but their symptoms recurred later, while 47% reported no improvement. In 8% their symptoms worsened for the current episode. Treatments received were herbal (29.8%) and prayer (70.2%). Of the sample, 43.4% consulted a primary care physician before presenting to the secondary psychiatric care. Conclusion: In this sample a sizable number of patients sought alternative methods of treatment before attending the specialized psychiatric services.

Keywords: help-seeking; faith healers; psychiatric illness; herbal treatment; prayer (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2009
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:socpsy:v:55:y:2009:i:2:p:141-148

DOI: 10.1177/0020764008093373

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