Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41836650›Full record

ArticleFrontiers in psychiatry2026

Mental health professionals' perspective on the use of esketamine in treatment-resistant depression and their motivation to adopt it: a Saudi cross-sectional study.

Ahmad H Almadani, Ayedh H Alghamdi, Gosay M Almazyad, Saleh I Alfawaz, Mohammed A Ghaith, Ali A Alshehri, Mohammed A Aljaffer, Saleh A Alghamdi

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Frontiers in psychiatry, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Ahmad H AlmadaniDepartment of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Ayedh H AlghamdiDepartment of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Gosay M AlmazyadDepartment of Psychiatry, King Saud University Medical City, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Saleh I AlfawazDepartment of Psychiatry, King Saud University Medical City, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Mohammed A GhaithMedical Department, Bupa CareConnect, Bupa Arabia, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Ali A AlshehriDepartment of Psychiatry, King Saud University Medical City, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Mohammed A AljafferDepartment of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Saleh A AlghamdiPsychiatry Department, College of Medicine, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Esketamine is an innovative treatment for individuals with treatment-resistant depression (TRD). However, its adoption could depend on the perceptions and motivations of prescribing psychiatrists, among other factors. Objective: This study aims to explore the attitudes of psychiatrists (of all levels, including those in training) across Saudi Arabia toward the use of esketamine for TRD and investigate the motivational factors related to their willingness to adopt it. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study that utilized a convenience sampling method. The study tool consisted of a questionnaire developed by the research team and the Physician-Motivation Adoption Scale. Results: Of the 223 participants surveyed, 19.73% reported having prescribed esketamine, most commonly to 1-2 patients. The most frequently perceived adverse effects were dissociation/delusions/hallucinations (66.82%), followed by dizziness/vertigo (59.19%). Esketamine prescription was significantly associated with older age (p = 0.049), consultant-level practice (p = 0.003), practice in the Western Region (p < 0.001), lower concern about potential misuse (p = 0.027), perceiving easier access (p = 0.004), and fewer concerns about the administration process (p = 0.007). Ordinal logistic regression demonstrated that senior registrars, registrars, and residents were significantly less likely to prescribe esketamine than consultants (OR = 0.21, 0.17, and 0.10, respectively). "Not being sure" that cost was a barrier was associated with lower odds of prescribing (OR = 0.32, p = 0.022), whereas higher functional subscale scores were strongly associated with willingness to prescribe (OR = 1.62, p < 0.001). The most commonly reported barriers to prescribing esketamine included the administration process (66.37%) and cost (65.02%). Conclusion: Despite significant interest, actual adoption of esketamine is low, mainly due to logistical barriers, high costs, and availability issues. Concerns about side effects and potential misuse are also linked to hesitation. Accordingly, interventions to address the obstacles and concerns are needed.

Indexed as

attitudesesketaminephysician motivation adoption scalepsychiatristsSaudi Arabiatreatment-resistant depression

Identifiers

PMID41836650
PMCPMC12982179

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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.