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Mental health services in the Arab world
Ahmed Okasha1, Elie Karam, Tarek Okasha
11Okasha Institute of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
Summary
Mental health services in the Arab world are underdeveloped, with many countries lacking essential legislation and policies. Insufficient funding and a shortage of mental health professionals hinder service provision across the region.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Mental Health Policy
- Healthcare Systems
Background:
- The Arab world faces significant challenges in providing adequate mental health services.
- Limited data exists on the status of mental healthcare infrastructure and resources in the region.
Purpose of the Study:
- To summarize the current state of mental health services in the Arab world.
- To identify gaps in legislation, policy, and resource allocation for mental healthcare.
Main Methods:
- Review of available information from 20 Arab countries.
- Analysis of data on mental health legislation, policies, psychiatric beds, psychiatrist density, and budget allocation.
Main Results:
- Six countries lack mental health legislation, and two lack mental health policies.
- Significant disparities exist in psychiatric bed availability and psychiatrist density across countries.
- Mental health budgets represent a small fraction of total health expenditures, impeding service promotion.
Conclusions:
- Despite some recent improvements, mental health human resources and attention remain insufficient in the Arab world.
- Urgent policy interventions and increased investment are needed to strengthen mental health services in the region.
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