Abstract
BackgroundMental health conditions remain a significant cause of disability in the Arab World. Palestinians are predominantly at a higher risk for mental health problems due to their chronic exposure to political violence, prolonged displacement, and others as limited professional, educational, financial opportunities and mental health services. Schizophrenia is an overwhelming mental illness that affects nearly one percent of the various populations throughout the world. Studies have shown patients with schizophrenia die prematurely and have lower life expectancy compared to the general population. Moreover, antipsychotic medications and client’s lifestyle play a significant role in increased morbidity and mortality in these patients. The present study willingly undertakes a literature review on schizophrenia in the context of mental health services in Palestine.MethodsStudies were identified through PubMed, Science Direct, Google Scholar, CINAHL, Semantic Scholar and Elsevier.ResultsTwenty-four studies were included in this review; 11 articles related to schizophrenia and thirteen articles related to mental health services in Westbank and Gaza. Results revealed the life of patients with schizophrenia in Palestine is complicated. Barriers as lacking awareness about mental illness, stigma, inconsistent availability of medications, absence of multidisciplinary teamwork, insufficient specialists, fragmented mental health system, occupation, and other obstacles stand in the face of improving the quality of life among these patients.LimitationsPalestine is a state that is seeking independence with a scarcity of resources. It has been described as “uncharted territories’’ due to a lack of data, resources and records. As a result, there is insufficient data regarding schizophrenia in Palestine. Therefore, a thesis study that estimated 10 years’ risk of coronary heart diseases in patients with schizophrenia was included.ConclusionsRecommendations include ending the occupation as the leading cause of mental illness for Palestinians and implementing efficient and effective mental health nursing care through the multidisciplinary work and raising awareness regarding mental illness to fight the stigma.
Highlights
Mental health conditions remain a significant cause of disability in the Arab World
By using the stigma impact scale, results revealed that both groups of patients with schizophrenia and their family caregivers possess a high level of the internalizing stigma of mental illness
These vulnerabilities were compounded by the limited availability of the quality of mental health providers, inconsistent mental health services, and the stigma associated with seeking mental health care [7]
Summary
Overview of schizophrenia in Palestine Meeting the need for mental health care for the Palestinian population remains an ongoing struggle [3]. A cross-sectional study design was carried out at four governmental primary psychiatric health centers using patients’ medical files to investigate schizophrenia treatment guidelines in the care centers located in Nablus, Tukaram, Jenin, and Qalqilya. Both newly diagnosed patients and patients who were not on antipsychotic therapy were excluded. A cross-sectional study conducted from August 2011 until February 2012 at governmental primary healthcare psychiatric centers in Northern West-Bank, investigated the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MS). A cross-sectional study design was carried at four governmental primary psychiatric health care centers in northern West-Bank to estimate the 10 years’ risk of coronary heart diseases (CHD) among 112 patients with schizophrenia.
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