title: Mental health issues among migrant workers in Gulf Cooperation Council countries: literature review and case illustrations.
abstract: More than 15 million non-nationals are currently living and working in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states. The majority are blue-collar or domestic workers coming from the Indian Subcontinent or South East Asia. They often work under very harsh conditions. There are reports of a high rate of psychosis and suicide among these people but no reliable data are available. To address this issue we conducted a literature search both in English and in Arabic to review the available articles on the psychological well-being of this population. Very few articles were found. We hereby review the available literature and contribute by presenting several brief vignettes to illustrate the various clinical aspects of this at risk population. We also discuss possible reasons for underreporting and underscore the need for more research in this area.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Education, Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar, Doha, Qatar. Electronic address: zik2002@qatar-med.cornell.edu.
authors.forename: Ziad
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Kronfol
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Education, Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar, Doha, Qatar.
authors.forename: Marwa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Saleh
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Education, Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar, Doha, Qatar.
authors.forename: Maha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Al-Ghafry
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003906:Developing Countries; D004651:Employment / Q000523:psychology; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D008603:Mental Health; D008877:Middle East; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014171:Transients and Migrants / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: GCC; Housemaid; Mental health; Middle East; Migrant worker; Psychological well-being