SELF-REPORTED CAUSES OF MENTAL ILLNESS AND THEIR ASSOCIATION WITH PATHWAYS TO HEALTHCARE AMONG PEOPLE WITH PSYCHOLOGICAL DISORDERS IN PALESTINE
Loading...
Date
2023-03-27
Authors
By Zaynab Hinnawi
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
Background: Mental illness affects every segment of population, in every country including Palestine. The beliefs held by patients regarding the causes of mental illness impact their treatment-seeking behavior. No doubt that understanding the context of the beliefs held by the patients and their family members with respect to the causation and treatment of various psychiatric disorders may help seeking behavior of mentally ill subjects and their adherence to treatment.
Previous studies revealed many different attributions stated by mentally-ill people. Those attributions were relevant to the culture they belong to. The aim of this study was to find out the attributions of the Palestinian patients, and the pathways followed by them to seek healthcare.
Methodology: The sample of this study consisted of thirty-one stable patients who attend private clinics. The participants were with different diagnoses, and from different cities of the West Bank in addition to Jerusalem. Semi-structured interviews using an adapted version of the McGill illness Narrative interview were conducted in order to illicit illness narratives.
Results: The findings of this study showed three main attributions: supranatural, psychosocial, and biomedical causes. Participants sought help through two main pathways; psychiatrists and sheikhs. Other pathways were followed but with less countable frequency.
Conclusion: An important number of patients attribute their psychiatric symptoms to supranatural causes. In regard to help-seeking behaviors, many patients seek help from nonmedical pathways.
Keywords: Mental health; Attribution theory; Supranatural causes; Psychosocial causes; Biomedical causes; Treatment pathways; Psychiatrists, Sheikhs.