Acceptability of Mental Health Services for Anxiety and Depression in an Arab Sample.

The aim of this paper was to examine the acceptability and use of mental health services in an Arab sample. An Internet survey was made available to Arab people worldwide and enquired about the acceptability of traditional face-to-face and internet-delivered mental health services. Five hundred and three participants were recruited via media and Facebook promotions. Of those surveyed, 36% (183/503), 46% (233/503), and 73% (365/503) reported that they would be willing to consult a mental health professional, take prescription medication and try an internet-delivered psychological treatment, respectively. Moderate to high acceptability rates for mental health services were found in this sample of Arab people. High acceptability of internet-delivered treatments among the current Arab sample, provides the opportunity for directing resources to the development of internet-delivered interventions to help reduce the stigma and burden of mental disease in the Arab world.

Intergenerational and cross-cultural differences in emotional wellbeing, mental health service utilisation, treatment-seeking preferences and acceptability of psychological treatments for Arab Australians.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about the intergenerational and cross-cultural differences in emotional wellbeing and acceptability of psychological treatments for Arab Australians. AIM: To contribute to the emerging data about the mental health status and needs of Arab Australians. METHOD: An Internet survey examined psychological distress and functional impairment as measured by the Kessler 10 Item scale (K-10) and the Sheehan Disability Scale (SDS) among Arab Australians. Additional questions enquired about their help-seeking behaviours, barriers to accessing psychological treatments and preferences for delivery of psychological treatments. A total of 252 participants were recruited through public talks, media and online promotions. RESULTS: Forty-three percent of the respondents reported moderate-to-severe functional impairment (M = 9.5; standard deviation (SD) = 1.8), 32% reported high psychological distress (M = 28.5; SD = 5.4) and 30% were born overseas. First-generation Arab Australians experiencing high psychological distress (i.e. K-10 ≥ 22), reported a greater preference for Internet-delivered treatment when compared to their second-generation counterparts. Only 18% of the sample reported seeking help from a mental health professional in the past year. The significant barriers reported by respondents with high psychological distress were poor mental health literacy, lack of time and stigma. Respondents preferred face-to-face (90%) over Internet-delivered treatment (55%). Finally, Arab Australians experienced higher psychological distress and underutilised mental health services when compared to the Australian population. CONCLUSION: Targeted public health campaigns that make culturally relevant interventions such as modifying existing Internet-delivered treatment for Arab Australians may reduce barriers and increase treatment options for this population.