Mental health literacy among pediatric hospital staff in the United Arab Emirates

Abstract

BackgroundIn the United Arab Emirates (UAE) 35% of the population are aged 0–24 years. A significant proportion of these young people are living with chronic conditions (e.g., asthma, type 1 diabetes, cardiac conditions, and genetically-transmitted conditions such as thalassemia and cystic fibrosis). This group has increased vulnerability to developmental delays and mental health problems, and is increasingly coming to the attention of service providers in mainstream schools, primary healthcare centers, and pediatric hospitals. Despite the government directing attention to improving the mental health of the UAE population, there is concern that mental health services are not growing at the rate needed to meet the mental health needs of children and young people with chronic conditions.MethodA cross sectional survey design was used to determine the mental health literacy of nurses and other healthcare professionals working with children with chronic illnesses. Participants completed a culturally-adapted mental health literacy questionnaire comprising three vignettes of fictional characters meeting diagnostic criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder, psychosis, and depression with suicidal thoughts. Participants also completed the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10).ResultsParticipants were 317 healthcare professionals from across the UAE. The majority were nurses. Correct identification of the diagnosis for each vignette was limited, with the highest level of accuracy achieved for the psychosis vignette (n = 113, 54.3%). Accurate identification of appropriate evidence-based interventions was also limited. K10 scores indicated 40% of participants had moderate to high levels of psychological distress.ConclusionsThese findings are concerning and provide important data to inform the development of undergraduate and continuing education programs for nurses. The K10 scores suggest healthcare professionals are under considerable stress, highlighting the need to support healthcare professionals who experience multiple psychosocial stressors.

Anxiety related disorders in adolescents in the United Arab Emirates: a population based cross-sectional study

“…UAE statistics indicate that a signi cant proportion of this age group suffer from chronic illnesses [42]. This suggests a signi cant proportion of the population may be vulnerable to mental health disorders [27], and highlights the urgency of raising awareness and knowledge among healthcare providers and developing informed national initiatives.…”

“…For example, a previous study found teachers had limited sensitivity to variations in students' levels of anxiety symptoms, and often struggled to identify students that required targeted interventions or additional classroom support [26]. Research conducted in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) reported that correct identi cation of mental health problems and accurate identi cation of appropriate evidence-based interventions for affected children was limited among healthcare professionals [27,28]. This was attributed to low levels of mental health literacy among respondents, combined with religious and cultural factors that potentially affected their interventions.…”

“…Challenges for these people include separation from their families and loved ones, nancial hardships, and potentially having witnessed violence or atrocities back home. In addition, the UAE has a large percentage of young people with developmental needs that may predispose them to anxiety in adulthood, especially those with chronic conditions [27]. The UAE also has speci c environmental and cultural risk factors that contribute to mental health problems, particularly among young people [28,30].…”

Anxiety related disorders in adolescents in the United Arab Emirates: a population based cross-sectional study

“…UAE statistics indicate that a significant proportion of this age group suffer from chronic illnesses [42]. This suggests a significant proportion of the population may be vulnerable to mental health disorders [27], and highlights the urgency of raising awareness and knowledge among healthcare providers and developing informed national initiatives.…”

A Pilot Study Exploring Nursing Knowledge of Depression and Suicidal Ideation in Kenya

“…The findings of this study contrast with two studies from the United Arab Emirates that used the same tool. These studies reported on the MHL of nurses in two different settings; 53.7% of pediatric hospital staff(Al-Yateem et al, 2017) and 49.3% of school nurses (Al-Yateem, Rossiter, Robb, & Slewa-Younan, 2018) correctly identified the condition described in the vignette. Both of these previous studies suggested that their findings were concerning and indicated the importance of focusing on curriculum development for future nurses and culturally relevant professional development for the existing nursing workforce.…”