Health professionals’ perspectives on mental health awareness in Saudi Arabia: A qualitative study

Mental health knowledge and awareness among university students in Bangladesh

Millions of people suffer from mental illnesses in India with one of the highest suicide rates globally. Mental health is an important element of overall well-being, yet it remains an ignored aspect of healthcare in India. Despite increasing awareness around physical health, mental health continues to be overshadowed by stigma, misconceptions, and inadequate resources. The widespread lack of awareness, compounded by cultural taboos, poor mental health education, and the lack of mental health professionals has made mental health care inaccessible for Indians. The major challenges facing mental health awareness in India, including the stigma surrounding mental illness, widespread misconceptions, and insufficient mental health resources. Additionally, the role of cultural barriers and policy gaps that hinder effective mental health care. Some useful techniques to improve mental health awareness are educational initiatives, public campaigns, and the use of digital media platforms. Supporting mental health infrastructure, encouraging community help networks, and developing sustainable intersectoral collaborations are also important to improving access to mental health care. Promoting mental health education and awareness in India can break the cycle of stigma and ensure timely treatment and support for individuals suffering from mental health issues, ultimately leading to healthier individuals, communities, and a more resilient society.

Background: Lack of awareness and negative perceptions regarding mental well-being and mental diseases among high-risk population prevents them from seeking help. Purpose: The aim of the current study is to assess awareness of mental health, attitudes towards mental illness, and utilization barriers of mental health services among adults in Najran region, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Methods: To meet the study's objectives, a crosssectional design was employed, utilizing a convenience sample of 400 participants. The research involved a validated survey tool that featured structured questions covering demographic information, the Mental Health Knowledge Questionnaire (MHKQ), the Community Attitudes Toward Mental Illness Inventory (CAMI), which includes 40 Likertscale items, and the Barriers to Mental Health Services Questionnaire. Results: The results of the current study revealed that most of the participants had unsatisfactory knowledge: 245 (61.3%). A significant majority showed negative attitudes toward mental illness: 290 (72.5%). The main barriers to accessing mental health services were; stigma: 135 participants (33.7%), unwanted intervention concerns: 82 (20.5%), financial problems: 78 (19.5%), access difficulties: 45 (11.3%), and confidentiality concerns: 60 participants (15%). Furthermore, a significant positive connection existed between knowledge scores - 1 - Awareness of Mental Health and positive attitudes (r=0.598, p= 0.0001). Conclusion: The current study shed light on the concerning lack of knowledge and the prevalent negative attitudes among the studied sample. The main barriers to accessing mental health services were stigma, unwanted intervention concerns, and financial issues. Implications for Nursing: The findings underscore the urgent need for targeted interventions to address these issues, such as organizing workshops and seminars to educate the public about mental health, as well as about mental illness, and promote positive mental health practices. Keywords: Awareness of mental health, Attitudes regarding mental illness, Utilization barriers of mental health services, Najran region, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

PurposeAdolescent mental health issues are on the increase, in particular depression, which is now a major public health concern globally. Mental health education is important and young people’s awareness of mental health is potentially limited. This is one factor that creates barriers to seeking support. School nurses and educational professionals recognise that they do not necessarily have the required skill base to support emotional health concerns with young people. The purpose of this paper is to synthesise qualitative evidence related to the nurse’s role in supporting adolescents.Design/methodology/approachA literature review using a systematic approach was undertaken, predominantly through collection of primary qualitative research studies. In total, 22 published studies are included in this review, extracted from four databases – CINAHL, Embase, Medline and Scopus.FindingsThis review shows that awareness of mental health is needed early in adolescence, while at school, to encourage young people to access support and have knowledge of their own emotional health. The need for further mental health education and provision is asserted.Practical implicationsYoung people benefit from someone who is accessible and familiar to them in schools so that they can access emotional support as and when needed. Careful involvement of families (including extended families) is noted. It is proposed that this role should be a mental health nurse role, who should be accessible within the school environment.Originality/valueThis paper is original and adds to existing knowledge that mental health challenges are increasing, and more needs to be done in schools to promote mental health and reduce the stigma associated with seeking support.

This study aimed to assess the awareness of mental health risk factors among pregnant women seeking care at Plateau State Specialist Hospital, Jos. A descriptive cross-sectional design was employed, with data collected from 104 respondents using a self-structured questionnaire. Key findings revealed a moderate level of awareness regarding mental health among the respondents, with 61.64% having heard about mental health and 46.58% believing it is somewhat important during pregnancy. However, 52.05% were unaware of risk factors that could increase mental health problems. The most prevalent risk factor experienced was financial difficulty (42.47%), followed by stressful life events (32.88%). Regarding preventive measures, 58.90% of respondents were unaware of ways to prevent mental health problems during pregnancy. The strategy most endorsed was "talking to someone about your feelings" (38.36%), but 52.05% felt they were only somewhat likely to implement preventive strategies. Additionally, 32.87% of respondents felt somewhat comfortable seeking help from a mental health professional, while stigma (31.51%) and cost (15.07%) were identified as major barriers to seeking support. The study concludes that while there is some awareness of mental health among pregnant women in the hospital, significant knowledge gaps exist regarding risk factors and preventive measures. The findings underscore the need for targeted interventions to educate both healthcare providers and expectant mothers about mental health during pregnancy, as well as efforts to address socioeconomic and cultural barriers to accessing mental health services.

Awareness of mental health is gradually gaining prominence around the globe as many people are beginning to speak up. Some persons suffering from these illnesses have reduced their encounters into books which have further been translated into movies and plays. Attention to mental health is now on the rise as Non-Governmental Organizations NGOs) are supporting the cause, laws, and policies are being put in place to promote mental wellbeing. The work brought about the enlightenment of the legal approach to mental health in Nigeria and the Netherlands, to ensure that more people are well-informed and aware of how the wrong attitude to mental health can pose a great challenge to the cause, and to adopt a more advanced and working system for a better mental health approach in Nigeria. The paper adopted the doctrinal method of research and made use of primary and secondary sources of materials. The legal approach to mental health in Nigeria is developing slowly as there is a considerable distance in the level of awareness, response, and treatment of mental health and wellbeing of most people in Nigeria. The paper concluded that there is a need for mental health policies in Nigeria to be in line with World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines especially the creation of mental health courts and adequate budgetary allocation for mental health facilities and service providers. It is recommended that for Nigeria to guarantee the highest standard of mental and physical well-being for its populace, the WHO guidelines must be adhered to.

Objective: The present study examined whether psychoeducational tools are beneficial in improving awareness and reducing stigma regarding mental health. This study aims to increase mental health awareness and reduce the stigma associated with mental illness. Methods: The study is quantitative research. In this study, 147 students registered in the Abnormal Psychology course, which focuses on mental illness, were recruited. Students signed informed consent and participated in the study voluntarily. Students completed the demographic questions, Beliefs Toward Mental Illness Scale (BTMI), and Stig-9 questionnaire (stig-9). Results: Our findings revealed a significant difference in beliefs and awareness about mental health and a decrease in stigma after students completed the Abnormal Psychology course. The statistical analysis revealed that students believe mental health is more curable and less embarrassing after taking mental health education. Finally, our findings demonstrated a direct impact of the educational experience on student attitudes toward mental health. Conclusion: Our finding indicates that mental health education is a promising tool to raise awareness and understanding and reduce the stigma regarding mental health. Providing students with mental health education and training enabled students to learn and understand issues with mental illness. This study demonstrated a direct impact on the educational experience on student attitudes toward mental health.

Purpose– This lack of knowledge and experience meant that students often found it difficult to engage with this very complex, conceptual and controversial area of health and social care. The use of visual methodologies in learning mental health and illness was being examined here with a view to its potential for overcoming this obstacle in the students’ learning and further assisting students in their conceptual understanding of the subject. The paper aims to discuss these issues.Design/methodology/approach– In total, 30 participants were recruited from a student population of 44 undergraduates studying a module at level three on mental health. Ethics and consent were secured by giving students full information to decide whether to be part of the study group. The methodology of interpretative phenomenological analysis was the philosophical framework used for the study and this was directed using a five-staged process. Data were collected through group discussions and collation of the students analysis of their visualisations.Findings– Students in the study were encouraged to think about mental health and illness in a non-traditional way of learning. Visualisation of their own perceptions or pre-conceived ideas of MH were explored. This led to some very insightful learning which included not only learning about the subject from a holistic perspective but also a continual reframing of students’ conception of mental health and an enhancement of their understanding. They demonstrated this by developing skills in “self-reflection and professional values development” which are key skills of a mental health practitioner.Research limitations/implications– The findings have implications for further research into how this type of learning can actually influence practitioners when they do work with people with mental health challenges and illness. This study was limited to a fundamentally theoretical plan for how the learning contributes to professional practice. It is also important to note that the students were also benefitting from the evidence, experience and value of the teaching and learning in a traditional sense so it is not completely clear of that influence of the innovative methodology. Therefore another aspect of study which could enhance the understanding of the influence of visualisation in mental health is to compare practitioners practice who use this technique to learn and develop and those who use a more traditional educational approach.Practical implications– This research will inform the use of a pedagogy approach in education, learning and teaching about concepts of mental health and illness and contribute to professional practice in health and social care education.Social implications– This paper makes contributions to mental health practice, visualisation, mental health education.Originality/value– Overall, the study offers an opening into the value of visual methodology in mental health awareness, education and practice and a contribution to professional practice in mental health education.

Mental health awareness of secondary schools students: Mediating roles of knowledge on mental health, knowledge on professional help, and attitude towards mental health

Background: Mental health awareness surveys that assess the broad knowledge of various stakeholders including public nationwide help in the development of relevant strategies to enhance their poor mental health literacy.
 Objective: The aim of this telephone polling survey was to measure mental health awareness of general public in Saudi Arabia.
 Method: The participants (n=1068) randomly selected from 13 regions of Saudi Arabia were contacted by 15 trained Saudi girl interviewers for conducting 30-minutes individual interview in Arabic language using a self-designed 15-item questionnaire.
 Results: About one fourth of responders (23%) reported either personal or family member having mental disorder, and depression and anxiety disorders were the commonest problems. Stigma against mental disorders and consulting health professionals, misperceptions towards psychotropics and social exclusion and shame were variably reported by the participants. Though the participants perceived barriers to have access to MH services, 55% of responders reported MH services were of good to excellent grade, and the two most common help-seeking modes were psychiatric and religious and spiritual service providers.
 Conclusion: Although this community participatory mental health polling survey is found to have encouraging mental health literacy of public participants, evidence based training programs and campaigns for further improving people mental health literacy are needed in Saudi Arabia and elsewhere in the Arabian Gulf countries.

Introduction: Mental health is a neglected field within the health care system in Ghana. Studies and public education focusing on mental health remain low, leading to poor knowledge and awareness of mental health among the population. Objective: The overall aim of this study was to provide a systematic description of mental health services in Ghana. Methods: A snowball technique was used to select a total of 42 mental health professionals from six hospitals for interviews. A structured questionnaire was used for data collection. Results: Major findings of this study include inadequate human and material resources; poor knowledge of mental health among the population; weak coordination between general practitioners and mental health professionals; inadequate mental health services in schools and prisons. Additionally, 54.8% of respondents reported limited mental health educational materials, and most schools (54.8%) lacking trained resident mental health professionals. The main interventions for service delivery are taking over activities of daily living by nurses, problem assessment, and psychological interventions which achieved the same results (69%). A tendency to consult faith-based healers and prayer camps; a lack of mental health research capacity, specifically research focusing on policies; and weakness in the organization and decentralization of mental health services in Ghana are among the common challenges to seeking care. Conclusion: Public mental health education on available resources and services is important. Capacity research focusing on dissemination and implementation of mental health policies can serve as the basis for addressing mental health challenges and improving service delivery in Ghana.

Mass school shootings have created fear in the American public. The results of this fear have been the hardening of schools, lockdowns, and active shooter drills, yet the mass shootings have not ended. The goal of this study was to analyze the mental health awareness of K-12 public schools teachers in Texas with a goal to identify the connections between mental health awareness and school safety. Data were used from an archival database of K-12 teacher responses in the 2020 Texas Educators' Needs Assessment Regarding School Safety and Victims Services to assess the current state of student mental health concerns and the connection of these concerns to school safety. This needs assessment included one mixed methods survey that was collected from Texas K-12 educators and Texas educators working in higher education in 2020. The original study included 25,161 usable responses (6.1%). For the purpose of this study, only K-12 teacher responses were used in the analysis. The K-12 teacher participants (n = 19,888) included the following institutional levels: (a) special setting, 2,919 (14.7%); (b) elementary school, 6,813 (34.3%); (c) middle/intermediate school, 4,189 (21.1%); (d) high school, 5,864 (29.5%); and (e) district level, 103 (0.5%). A total of 8,053 participant's qualitative responses and 10 of the original quantitative survey questions from the archival data were used to identify all findings in the study. Collected qualitative and quantitative participant responses' outlined a need to improve student mental health by strengthening the focus on supporting all stakeholders (e.g., teachers, parents, counselors, and students) in mental health awareness and education. Participant comments focused on the lack of training, counselor support, and community support regarding the mental health needs of their students. Recommendations to improve student mental health that were developed from this study identified key goals in school counselor role and responsibility to student mental health, increased involvement of community agencies, and improvement to in-school mental health counseling. Final recommendations of this study were focused on the need to improve student mental health if stakeholders want to develop a positive school environment. The failure to build an environment that is focused on student mental health will continue to affect the goal to improve overall school safety.

This study examines School-Based Agricultural Education (SBAE) teachers' perspectives on mental health (MH) awareness, resources, and motivations for MH training. Focus group discussions revealed four themes: help-seeking, support services, classroom culture, and child/adolescent behavior. While teachers recognize the importance of addressing MH needs, barriers such as limited resources and time hinder their efforts. Mentorship and advisement were identified as effective strategies for MH support. The findings highlight the need for more explicit protocols and consistent professional development. The study suggests that SBAE teachers require more training and resources to support students’ and teachers’ MH needs effectively.

People with disabilities belong to a vulnerable population group, especially with regard to their economic and health situation. In the social-epidemiological research, hardly any studies on mental health and health awareness among people with disabilities are available using representative data, in particular not differentiated according to their degree of disability (DoD). Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate 1) differences in mental health and health awareness between people with disabilities compared to people without disabilities. In addition, the study 2) shows differences mental health outcomes and health awareness, differentiated according to the DoD. Data is used from the representative study "Gesundheit in Deutschland Aktuell (GEDA) 2012" (N=19,294). Outcomes were self-reported health, health awareness, depression or depressive mood, mental discomfort, vitality and psychological well-being. The exposure variable used was the recognized disability (DoD≥50 vs. DoD<50 vs. no disability). Univariate and bivariate analyses were conducted using cross-tables and multivariate analyses using binary logistic regression models, controlled for socio-demographic, economic and health-related features. People with disabilities often rate their mental health worse than people without disabilities. The bi- and multivariate analyses revealed a disability-specific gradient for all outcome measures according to the DoD (p<0,001). People with disabilities had a significantly higher likelihood of poor mental health compared to people without disabilities. People with severe disabilities (DoD≥50) had a more than 4,6-fold increased likelihood risk of poor self-reported health and 2,5-fold likelihood of depression or depressed mood compared to people without disabilities. A high level of health awareness was more prevalent in PWD than in those without disabilities. The study highlights that People with disabilities more frequently reported mental health problems than people without disabilities. Targeted measures are necessary, which address in particular the target group of the people with disabilities. There is further need to strengthen access to health services and programs, assistive technologies and support services, and to make health of people with disabilities to the subject of research and health promotion in line with the WHO Action Plan on "Better health for all people with disabilities" (2014-2021).

Mental health awareness is crucial for early help-seeking and recovery in the field of mental health. Determinants of mental health include individual attributes, such as the ability to manage one’s thoughts, emotions, behaviors, and interactions with others. Additionally, social, cultural, economic, political, and environmental factors, along with specific psychological, personality, and genetic factors, play a significant role. This is especially true in the area of women’s mental health. Strengthening mental health awareness in India by employing innovative methods is essential. The author describes observations from a novel experiment conducted for various target populations in the community. This innovative program series was implemented in 50 different places. The qualitative data collected indicates that the program allows for a didactic pattern of interaction, enables the community to express their views, ask questions, and is more effective than routine posters, lectures, and advertisements used for mental health awareness campaigns. It appears to be more effective than using a single mode of creativity, such as literature, music, or dance. The author concludes that systematic studies need to be encouraged in this area. Mental health awareness efforts in India should include innovative techniques involving artists, writers, and psychiatrists.