title: The prevalence of psychiatric disorders among visitors to faith healers in Saudi Arabia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We investigated the prevalence of psychiatric disorders among visitors to Faith Healers (FHs) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. We also studied the sociodemographic profiles for these visitors, in addition to their past psychiatric history, reason(s) for seeking FH help, and past and current treatment experience with FHs.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a cross-sectional study among the visitors (n=321) to a number of faith healing settings in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia using a specially designed questionnaire and validated Arabic version of The Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most of the participants were young adults (35.1±10.8 years) and males with intermediate and secondary levels of education who had not sought medical help prior to their visits. A high proportion of the FH visitors have diagnosable mental illnesses. Depressive and anxiety disorders were the most prevalent among the study participants; few visitors were affected by psychotic or bipolar disorders.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study provides insight for understanding the type of patients with psychiatric disorders who visit Faith Healers.(FHs). The study highlights the tendency of psychiatric patients in Saudi Arabia to visit FHs, which could reflect the importance of further studies to clarify the impact of FHs on the management of those patients.
authors.affiliation: Fahad D. Alosaimi, MD, Assistant Professor, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Fahad D
authors.initials: FD
authors.lastname: Alosaimi
authors.affiliation: Youssef Alshehri MD, Senior Registrar, Prince Sultan Medical Military City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Youssef
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Alshehri
authors.affiliation: Ibrahim Alfraih, Psychiatry Resident, Saudi Commission for Health Specialties, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Ibrahim
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Alfraih
authors.affiliation: Ayedh Alghamdi, Psychiatry Resident, Saudi Commission for Health Specialties, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Ayedh
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alghamdi
authors.affiliation: Saleh Aldahash, Psychiatry Resident, Saudi Commission for Health Specialties, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Saleh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Aldahash
authors.affiliation: Haifa Alkhuzayem, Psychiatry Resident, Saudi Commission for Health Specialties, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Haifa
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Alkhuzayem
authors.affiliation: Haneen Albeeeshi, Psychiatry Resident, Saudi Commission for Health Specialties, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Haneen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Albeeeshi
keywords: Faith Healing; Mental Disorders; Spiritual Therapies