Mental health research in the Arab region: challenges and call for action

Publication date: Available online 18 July 2019Source: The Lancet PsychiatryAuthor(s): Fadi T Maalouf, Bibi Alamiri, Samir Atweh, Anne E Becker, Majda Cheour, Hala Darwish, Lilian A Ghandour, Suhaila Ghuloum, Mouin Hamze, Elie Karam, Brigitte Khoury, Samia J Khoury, Ali Mokdad, Lokman I Meho, Tarek Okasha, Geoffrey M Reed, Eman Sbaity, Pia Zeinoun, Elie A AklSummaryAlthough mental disorders are a leading cause of disability in the Arab region, which includes 5·54% of the global population, Arab countries produce only 1·0% of the global output of peer-reviewed publications in mental health research. Various stakeholders, including Arab mental health researchers, institutional and funding agency officials, and international research collaborators, convened to identify challenges faced by Arab mental health researchers and propose an evidence-informed call for action. Challenges identified include prevalent stigma and low awareness, conflict and war, scarce institutional and funding resources, inadequate publishing opportunities, insufficient training in mental health research, and shortage of reliable and valid assessment tools. The proposed action plan includes ways of addressing stigma and spreading awareness, increasing collaborative efforts, building research infrastructure, strengthening the mental health workforce, and translating research findings into a call to action on societal and governmental levels. The proposed action plan could provide a roadmap for Arab mental...
Source: The Lancet Psychiatry - Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research