International Neuropsychiatric Disease Journal

Background: Mental health awareness surveys that assess the broad knowledge of various stakeholders including public nationwide help in the development of relevant strategies to enhance their poor mental health literacy.

Objective: The aim of this telephone polling survey was to measure mental health awareness of general public in Saudi Arabia.

Method: The participants (n=1068) randomly selected from 13 regions of Saudi Arabia were contacted by 15 trained Saudi girl interviewers for conducting 30-minutes individual interview in Arabic language using a self-designed 15-item questionnaire.

Results: About one fourth of responders (23%) reported either personal or family member having mental disorder, and depression and anxiety disorders were the commonest problems. Stigma against mental disorders and consulting health professionals, misperceptions towards psychotropics and social exclusion and shame were variably reported by the participants. Though the participants perceived barriers to have access to MH services, 55% of responders reported MH services were of good to excellent grade, and the two most common help-seeking modes were psychiatric and religious and spiritual service providers.

Conclusion: Although this community participatory mental health polling survey is found to have encouraging mental health literacy of public participants, evidence based training programs and campaigns for further improving people mental health literacy are needed in Saudi Arabia and elsewhere in the Arabian Gulf countries.