title: Between modern and traditional values: Informal mental health help-seeking attitudes according to Israeli Arab women, primary care patients and their providers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Israeli Arab women under-utilize mental health services.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The present study evaluated the use of alternative services for dealing with depression and anxiety among Israeli Arab women and primary care providers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four focus groups with primary care patients and two focus groups with primary care providers were conducted. Constant comparisons were employed in order to identify major themes related to informal help-seeking behaviors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Three informal help-seeking behaviors were identified: (a) social support, divided into extended family and neighbors versus nuclear family and close friends; (b) religiosity, divided into inner, direct practices and beliefs versus externally mediated ones; and (c) self-help techniques, such as engagement in activities and distancing oneself from the situation. Both social support and religiosity were viewed with ambivalence by primary care patients and providers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings suggest that the Arab population in Israel might be lacking informal sources of support at times of mental health needs.
authors.affiliation: Louis and Gabi Weisfeld School of Social Work, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel liatayalon0@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Liat
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ayalon
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, Clalit Health Services Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel.
authors.forename: Khaled
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Karkabi
authors.affiliation: Medical Social Work Department, Clalit Health Services.
authors.forename: Igor
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bleichman
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Clalit Health Services.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fleischmann
authors.affiliation: Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel Quality Improvement Department, Medicine Section, Community Division, Clalit Health Services.
authors.forename: Margalit
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Goldfracht
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D018912:Arabs / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012944:Social Support; D012945:Social Values
keywords: Israeli Arabs; Primary care; anxiety; depression; ethnic minorities; formal; informal; mental health; service use