Help-seeking behaviour of patients attending the psychiatric service in a sample of United Arab Emirates population.
BACKGROUND
Many patients suffering from psychiatric disorders seek non-professional care before attending specialized services.


OBJECTIVE
To study the help-seeking behaviour of patients referred to the psychiatric department of Al-Ain Hospital, which is the main university teaching hospital in UAE.


METHODS
This study was a descriptive cross-sectional epidemiological survey. All new patients attending the psychiatry out-patient clinic at Al-Ain Hospital were screened for nine consecutive months from March to November 2003 inclusive.


RESULTS
The sample consisted of 106 patients (52 male; 54 female). Prior to presenting to the psychiatric service, 44.8% consulted faith healers, 31% of whom had had a previous experience with them; 45% reported some improvement but their symptoms recurred later, while 47% reported no improvement. In 8% their symptoms worsened for the current episode. Treatments received were herbal (29.8%) and prayer (70.2%). Of the sample, 43.4% consulted a primary care physician before presenting to the secondary psychiatric care.


CONCLUSIONS
In this sample a sizable number of patients sought alternative methods of treatment before attending the specialized psychiatric services.
Salem
Mohamed Omar
MO
Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, UAE University, UAE. mohamed.salem@uaeu.ac.ae
Saleh
Bader
B
Yousef
Said
S
Sabri
Sufyan
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005260:Female; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014479:United Arab Emirates; D055815:Young Adult