title: Mental health care in Lebanon: policy, plans and programmes.
abstract: Lebanon is a developing country marred by several years of civil war and continuing political, social and economic instability. It has no mental health policy or plan. Through literature reviews, surveillance of current mental health services and interviews with primary care physicians and officials at the Ministry of Public Health and World Health Organization, we identified several barriers to the optimal delivery of mental health services in Lebanon. These include government-, physician-, and patient-related factors. New initiatives are necessary at several levels, particularly in the primary care setting. These are outlined in light of the 2001 WHO recommendations on mental health services.
authors.affiliation: Medical Centre, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Chahine
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Chemali
mesh_terms: D017281:Cost of Illness; D003906:Developing Countries; D005544:Forecasting; D006285:Health Planning / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006287:Health Planning Guidelines; D006291:Health Policy; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000458:organization & administration; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D007861:Lebanon / Q000453:epidemiology; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D020380:Needs Assessment / Q000458:organization & administration; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D014944:World Health Organization