Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41484906›Full record

ArticleJournal of eating disorders2026

Mental health literacy and stigma towards eating disorders in Saudi Arabia: a cross-sectional study.

Samirh Said Alqhtani, Joud Lutfi Bakheet, Hend Abdu Alnajjar, Seham Alselami, Sawsan Kamal Khalil Elgalad

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Article in Journal of eating disorders, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Samirh Said AlqhtaniCollege of Nursing, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. alqahtanis@ksau-hs.edu.sa.
Joud Lutfi BakheetCollege of Nursing, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Hend Abdu AlnajjarCollege of Nursing, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Seham AlselamiCollege of Nursing, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Sawsan Kamal Khalil ElgaladCollege of Nursing, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundEating disorders (EDs) are complex mental health conditions influenced by genetic, psychological, and sociocultural factors. In Saudi Arabia, rising ED prevalence among youth underscores the need for early diagnosis, increased awareness, and targeted intervention. This study examined the relationship between Mental Health Literacy (MHL) and EDs stigma within the Saudi population.

methodsUtilizing a cross-sectional design, data were collected from 370 participants across all Saudi provinces through a convenience sampling method. Data analysis was conducted by the R software version 4.2.2.

resultsFindings from this study showed generally high MHL and low to moderate stigma. There was a significant inverse relationship between MHL and stigma. Unadjusted linear regression indicated that higher MHL was associated with lower ED stigma. Other predictors of greater stigma included male gender, older age, being married, employment in the private sector, and higher income. Exposure to EDs, such as knowing someone with an ED or having self-diagnosed, was associated with reduced stigma.

conclusionsThe findings of this study underscore the central role of MHL in mitigating stigma toward EDs. Enhancing public education about EDs and promoting accurate understanding may reduce stigmatizing attitudes, improve early intervention, and support better health outcomes in Saudi Arabia.

Indexed as

Eating disordersHealth literacyMental healthSaudi arabiaStigma

Identifiers

PMID41484906
PMCPMC12857075

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