The Perceptions of General Population About Mental Health Services in Baghdad, Iraq: A Qualitative Study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31351/vol32issSuppl.pp283-290Keywords:
mental health, general population, qualitative studyAbstract
Background: Access to mental health services remains a challenge in many countries including Iraq, where mental illness is often stigmatized and marginalized. This can lead to negative outcomes such as decreased quality of life and increased morbidity and mortality.
Objectives: The present study aimed to explore the perceptions of general population in Iraq towards mental health services and identify the challenges facing patient access to these services. Methods: This qualitative study included face-to-face semi-structured interviews with general population in primary health care centers and private pharmacies in Baghdad between (December 2022 through February 2023). Thematic analysis was used to identify recurring themes and sub-themes. Results: Thirty participants were recruited in this study. The study found that the general population in Iraq have negative perceptions towards mental health services. The repeated themes were "public social stigma," "lack of privacy in public healthcare settings," and "lack of psychotherapy sessions in mental health services." The social stigma" was further divided into sub-themes including stigma from family, friends, or co-workers. Lack of privacy indicated there are too many interruptions in the environment of public healthcare settings. Lack of non-pharmacological therapy in mental health services, was expressed as a feeling that only medication therapy was offered, while psychotherapy was not available. Conclusion: The findings suggest that a cultural awareness is needed to reduce the social stigma associated with mental illness and to increase trust in the public mental health services. The results also highlighted the need for improved privacy and culturally-sensitive mental health services. To improve access to mental health services, it is crucial that healthcare providers, social workers, and society work together to promote and destigmatize mental illness.
References
World Health Organization. Mental disorders [Internet]. Geneva: World Health Organization; [updated 2022, cited 2023 may 30]. Available from: [https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/mental-disorders]
Henderson C, Evans-Lacko S, Thornicroft G. Mental illness stigma, help seeking, and public health programs. American journal of public health. 2013 May;103(5):777-80.
Gulliver A, Griffiths KM, Christensen H. Perceived barriers and facilitators to mental health help-seeking in young people: a systematic review. BMC psychiatry. 2010 Dec;10(1):1-9.
Alwan AA. Health situation in Iraq: challenges and priorities for action. Baghdad: Ministry of Health, 2019
AlShawi AF (2018) Prevalence of Posttraumatic Stress Disorders among Sample of Internally Displaced Persons in Iraq, A Preliminary Study. J Community Med Health Educ 8: 599. doi:10.4172/2161-0711.1000599
Sarmed H. Kathem, Ali Azeez Al-Jumaili, Malak Noor Aldeen, Noor Najah, Dema Ali Khalid. Measuring Depression and Anxiety Prevalence among Healthcare College Students Using Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Pharmacy Practice (June) 2021, 19(2):1-8
Zainab Ali Jaber , Raghad Tawfeeq Salman , Dania Yasser Abid Al Wahab, Manal Adnan Habib , Israa Ali Hussein . Assessment of the Depression Level among Medical Students at University of Baghdad, College of Medicine. Al-Kindy College Medical Journal 2021:17 (3)
Al-Hemiary NJ, Hashim MT, Al-Diwan JK, Razzaq EA. Alcohol and drug abuse in post-conflict Iraq. Journal of the Faculty of Medicine Baghdad. 2015;57(4):290-4.
Ali K. Khudhair. The relationship of depressive symptoms in cancer patients with treatment by chemotherapy.J Fac Med Baghdad Vol. 51, No.3, 2009
Younis MS. Historical highlights on mental health education in Iraq. Journal of the Faculty of Medicine Baghdad. 2009;51(3):272-5.
World Health Organization. Medical Doctors, Global Health Observatory Data Repository [Internet]. WHO; 2019. Available from: http://apps.who.int/gho/data/node.main.HWFGRP_0020?lang=en [cited 27 Jan 2020].
Aljuboori SB, Azeez AJ, Mahmood AA, Fathel R, Talab H. Evaluate factors influencing depression in Baghdad: Using Deck-Depression Inventory. Innovations in Pharmacy. 2019;10(3).
Saunders B, Sim J, Kingstone T, Baker S, Waterfield J, Bartlam B, Burroughs H, Jinks C. Saturation in qualitative research: exploring its conceptualization and operationalization. Qual Quant. 2018;52(4):1893-1907.
Clark JWCaVLP. Designing and Conducting Mixed Methods Research. 2nd Edition ed. USA: SAGE. 2011.
Braun V, Clarke V. Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative research in psychology. 2006 Jan 1;3(2):77-101.
World Medical Association. Declaration of Helsinki: Ethical Principles for Medical Research Involving Human Subjects [Internet]. 2013. Ferney-Voltaire, France: The Association; [cited 2023 May 31]. Available from: https://www.wma.net/what-we-do/medical-ethics/declaration-of-helsinki
Al Ali NM, Alqurneh MK, Dalky H, Al-Omari H. Factors affecting help-seeking attitudes regarding mental health services among attendance of primary health care centres in Jordan. International Journal of Mental Health. 2017 Jan 2;46(1):38-51.
Sadik S, Bradley M, Al-Hasoon S, Jenkins R. Public perception of mental health in Iraq. International journal of mental health systems. 2010 Dec;4(1):1-1.
Silverman MJ. The effect of single-session psychoeducational music therapy on verbalisations and perceptions in psychiatric patients. Journal of Music Therapy. 2009 Jul 1; 46(2):105-31.
Al-Hemiary NJ, Al-Hasnawi SM. Seeking help from faith healers among Iraqi patients with obsessive–compulsive disorder. Journal of the Faculty of Medicine Baghdad. 2009;51(4):385-7.
Bhugra, D. (1997) Psychiatry and Religion:Context, Consensus and Controversies.Routledge.
Dein S,(2007) Psychiatry and faith-basedorganizations. B J P sych., vol.1 9 1,pp. 5 6 4.
Al-Jumaili AA, Younus MM, Kannan YJ, Nooruldeen ZE, Al-Nuseirat A. Pharmaceutical regulations in Iraq: from medicine approval to post-marketing. Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal. 2021 Oct 1;27(10).
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2023 Iraqi Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences ( P-ISSN 1683 - 3597 E-ISSN 2521 - 3512)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
