SynthesisPloS one2021
Mental health literacy in Arab states of the Gulf Cooperation Council: A systematic review.
Synthesis in PloS one, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 26 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
26 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Cultural adaptations of third-wave psychotherapies in Gulf Cooperation Council countries: A systematic review.Transcultural psychiatry · 2024Pooled it
- Health Literacy in Latin America and the Caribbean: A Comprehensive Scoping Review of Research Developments.Journal of prevention (2022) · 2026Article
- Mental Health Literacy and Stigma Among Community Pharmacists in Jordan: A Cross-Sectional Study.Health science reports · 2026Article
- Receptive Vocabulary Outcomes in Children with Cochlear Implants with and Without Additional Difficulties: A Multicenter Cross-Sectional Analysis.Audiology research · 2026Article
- Developing a culturally grounded mental health literacy framework for the United Arab Emirates using Grounded Theory and Delphi consensus.Scientific reports · 2026Article
- Public knowledge, stigma, and social acceptance toward mental illness in the Gulf region: a cross-sectional survey.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2026Article
- The relationship between illness uncertainty and preoperative anxiety in surgical patients: the moderating role of mental health literacy.Frontiers in psychology · 2026Article
- Article
- Self-Management Behaviours in Type 2 Diabetes Across Gulf Cooperation Council Countries: An Updated Narrative Review to Enhance Patient Care.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Review
- Exploring Hirsutism: Epidemiology, Associated Endocrinal Abnormalities, and Societal Challenges in GCC-A Narrative Review.International journal of molecular sciences · 2025Review
- Factors influencing decisions to seek mental healthcare in the Arab Gulf states: a qualitative thematic analysis.BMC public health · 2025Article
- Changes in the provision of psychiatric beds and incarceration in the Eastern Mediterranean Region from 1990 to 2022.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2025Article
- Knowledge of and attitude towards depression among urban and rural residents in Beijing: a cross-sectional study.BMJ open · 2024Article
- Assessing mental health literacy in Jordan: a factor analysis and Rasch analysis study.Frontiers in public health · 2024Article
- Perceptions of mental disorder causes, treatments, and prevention among the general population in Saudi Arabia.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2024Article
- Public perceptions of digital mental health awareness campaign in the Arab Gulf states: a qualitative thematic analysis.Frontiers in public health · 2024Article
- Knowledge and Perception Towards Psychotropic Drugs Among the General Population in Saudi Arabia.Psychology research and behavior management · 2024Article
- Premarital mental health screening among the Saudi population.Journal of Taibah University Medical Sciences · 2023Article
- Prevalence and Characteristics of Health and Wellness Programs for Arab Hospitals' Employees: A Cross-Sectional Study.Risk management and healthcare policy · 2023Article
- Prevalence and determinants of health literacy among the adult population of Qatar.Frontiers in public health · 2023Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundMental health literacy (MHL) has been relatively neglected, despite the increase of mental health illnesses worldwide, as well as within the Middle East region. A low level of MHL may hinder public acceptance of evidence-based mental health care.
aimThis systematic review aims to identify and appraise existing research, focusing on MHL among adults in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.
methodsA systematic search of electronic databases (PubMed, PsychInfo, and Medline) was carried out from database inception to July 2019, in order to identify peer-reviewed journal articles that investigated MHL in the GCC countries. Studies were eligible for inclusion if they were: cross-sectional studies, reported in English, targeted adults (aged 18 and above), conducted in any of the GCC countries, include at least one outcome measure of the main components of MHL: knowledge of mental illnesses and their treatment, stigmatizing attitudes towards mental illnesses, and seeking help for self and offering help.
resultsA total of 27 studies (16,391 participants) were included. The outcome across studies varied due to disparity in the tested populations. Findings show that limited MHL was observed among participants, even health care professionals. Results also show a high cumulative level of stigma and negative attitude towards mental health illness in the public. Negative beliefs and inappropriate practices are common, as well. The majority of studies yielded a moderate to high risk of bias.
conclusionThis work indicates that research on MHL must be tackled through well-designed large-scale studies of the public. Campaigns to promote early identification and treatment of mental illness is also encouraged to improve overall level of MHL in the general population of the GCC region. Registration number: PROSPERO 2018 CRD42018104492.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.