ArticleBMC public health2025
Factors influencing decisions to seek mental healthcare in the Arab Gulf states: a qualitative thematic analysis.
Article in BMC public health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
6 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Family Honor, Gender Norms, and Help-Seeking Shape Mental Health Stigma in Saudi Arabia: A Systematic Review.Inquiry : a journal of medical care organization, provision and financingPooled it
- Mental health literacy in youth: a quasi-experimental comparison of a reusable learning object in Saudi Arabia and Malaysia.BMC public health · 2026Article
- Public knowledge, stigma, and social acceptance toward mental illness in the Gulf region: a cross-sectional survey.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2026Article
- Words Matter: Content Analysis of Language Used When Documenting in the Medical Records of Patients in Mental Health.Journal of multidisciplinary healthcare · 2026Article
- Induced poverty, increased remittances: unveiling the lived realities of Nepali migrant workers.BMC public health · 2025Article
- Depression and Anxiety in the Saudi Population: Epidemiological Profiles from Health Surveys and Mental Health Services.Inquiry : a journal of medical care organization, provision and financingArticle
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThere is a lack of comprehensive research on the mental health needs of individuals in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, so further exploration is needed to understand the barriers to accessing available mental healthcare services. This study examined the factors influencing individuals' decisions to seek mental healthcare in these countries by analysing the public's engagement with a mental health campaign on social media.
methodsWe conducted a reflexive thematic analysis of people's comments in response to a mental health campaign posted by the Gulf Health Council on four social media platforms: TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, and X (previously Twitter).
resultsThe analysis included 2,146 comments. Barriers to seeking mental healthcare fell into several themes: personal, family, societal, religious, cultural, and healthcare service barriers. Misconceptions and misinformation were key barriers to seeking mental healthcare, as well as religious and societal perceptions of mental health and the stigma surrounding mental illness. Factors influencing accessibility to professional help included the cost of mental healthcare, lack of competent healthcare professionals, and concerns over privacy and confidentiality.
conclusionOur research identified several factors that affect accessing mental healthcare in the GCC, including personal, family, societal, cultural, religious, and healthcare system factors. We expect that the findings will inform the development of policies and interventions designed to facilitate access to mental healthcare services in the GCC.
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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.