Mental Illness最新文献

{"title":"Prevalence and Factors Associated with Self-Reported Substance Use among Patients with Mental Illness in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania: A Cross-Sectional Analytical Study","authors":"Kilaye Karino, J. S. Ambikile, M. Iseselo","doi":"10.1155/2023/3923793","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/2023/3923793","url":null,"abstract":"Background. Substance use is prevalent among patients with mental illness in low- and middle-income countries, including Tanzania. This heightened prevalence not only increases the risk of developing mental disorders and substance use disorders but also contributes to poor treatment outcomes for these patients. Despite these concerns, the current prevalence of substance use and its associated factors in this population remains unclear in Tanzania. Therefore, this study is aimed at determining the 12-month period prevalence of self-reported substance use and associated factors among patients with mental illness. Methods. We conducted a cross-sectional analytical study among patients with mental illness at Muhimbili National Hospital in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Respondents were selected using a systematic random sampling technique. Data on self-reported substance use were collected using the World Health Organization’s (WHO) alcohol, smoking, and substance involvement screening test (ASSIST) V3.0. IBM SPSS version 25 was employed for data analysis, utilizing frequencies and percentages to determine the prevalence of self-reported substance use. The study employed bivariate and multiple logistic regression analyses to investigate the association between patient characteristics and self-reported substance use, with statistical significance set at a p value of < 0.05. Results. A total of 364 patients were enrolled in the study, with 215 (59.1%) being male and a mean (SD) age of 35.57 (±9.01) years. Among the participants, 119 (32.7%) reported substance use. The most commonly used substances were alcohol (21.7%), tobacco (19.8%), and cannabis (12.9%). Factors significantly associated with self-reported substance use included younger age (AOR: 1.829; 95% CI: 1.112, 3.010; p=0.017), male gender (AOR: 2.346; 95% CI: 1.397, 3.939; p=0.001), positive family history of mental illness (AOR: 2.247; 95% CI: 1.364, 3.701; p=0.001), and a family history of substance use (AOR: 3.804; 95% CI: 2.305, 6.276; p<0.001). Conclusions. A significant proportion, amounting to one-third of patients, reported substance use, highlighting the imperative need for targeted measures within this population. The implementation of routine substance use screening programs for patients with mental illness is crucial, alongside gender-sensitive and age-specific interventions. Consideration of patients’ family history of mental illness and substance use should be an integral part of these measures.","PeriodicalId":44029,"journal":{"name":"Mental Illness","volume":"34 23","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2023-12-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139166086","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Biopsychosocial Profile of COVID-19 Patients Cared for in Public and Private Health Facilities in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan","authors":"Mohammad Hashim Wafa, M. Stanikzai, N. Fazli","doi":"10.1155/2023/2669168","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/2023/2669168","url":null,"abstract":"Background. Over the past two years, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a staggering number of biopsychosocial deficits in the general population that have impacted the physical, psychological, and social aspects of their health and well-being. Objectives. This paper highlights the biopsychosocial characteristics of COVID-19 patients cared for in public and private health facilities in Kandahar, Afghanistan. Methods. A cross-sectional study was performed using telephone interviews of patients tested positive for COVID-19 between March 2020 and March 2021. The Pashto version of Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) was administrated to all patients. Independent t -test and ANOVA analyses were used to assess the effects of sociodemographic and clinical characteristics on DASS-21 total scores and on each subscale separately. Results. Of all 477 participants, the vast majority (95%) had characteristic symptoms of COVID-19, such as fever, sore throat, cough, and headache. Of all participants, 472 (99%) had symptoms of anxiety, 462 (96.9%) had depression, and 463 (97.1%) had stress. Patients who scored significantly higher on the DASS-21 scale were more likely to have female sex, old age, low level of education, spouse separation, comorbid medical conditions, and being admitted to intensive care units. Conclusion. This study confirmed the previously described epidemiological and clinical characteristics of patients with severe COVID-19. The results indicated a high burden of mental health problems in severe COVID-19 patients. Hence, we recommend that policymakers in Afghanistan take proper measures for the timely provision of efficient and quality mental health services during every disaster and postdisaster era.","PeriodicalId":44029,"journal":{"name":"Mental Illness","volume":"53 81 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2023-11-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139267672","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A Cross-Sectional Study Exploring Mental Health among Patients Suffering from Dengue in Pakistani Tertiary Care Hospitals","authors":"None Faiza, Fatima Jawad, Namra Chaudhary, Mahnoor Younas, Sadaf Fatima, Fiza Ayub, Allah Bukhsh Awan, Tahir Mehmood Khan","doi":"10.1155/2023/5680229","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/2023/5680229","url":null,"abstract":"Background. Dengue, known as “Tropical flu,” is a widespread disease that has recently become endemic in many Asian countries. Dengue disease still lacks research in many aspects, specifically the impact of patient factors and disease prognosis on mental health. This is a cross-sectional study that evaluated the impact of different patient factors on depression, stress, and anxiety in patients with acute dengue infection. Methods. An interview-based data were collected through a questionnaire containing patient sociodemographic parameters, clinical parameters, and DASS 21 questions. Independent sample <math xmlns=\"http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML\" id=\"M1\"> <mi>T</mi> </math> -test, one-way ANOVA test, and post hoc test were performed to determine the degree of association of psychological manifestations with clinical signs and symptoms considering a level of significance of <math xmlns=\"http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML\" id=\"M2\"> <mi>p</mi> <mo><</mo> <mn>0.05</mn> </math> . Results. The patients from 39 years to 49 years of age had a higher association with stress, depression, and anxiety. The participants at primary and matriculation level education had a higher association with dengue-associated anxiety. Among the three levels of fever, i.e., mild (<102°F), moderate (102-103°F), and severe (>103°F), the participants suffering from severe fever experienced more anxiety and so was those with intense pain and stress. Conclusions. According to the DASS-21 tool, patients with severe pain and high-degree fever during dengue had significant stress and anxiety symptoms, respectively, than the patients with mild or moderate pain and fever. Middle-aged patients with low literacy levels were also found to have significant associations with stress, anxiety, and depression. To our knowledge, this is one of the first studies in Pakistan that in-depth explored the impact of patient factors’ variability on psychological illnesses related to dengue. These findings may warrant practitioners to integrate timely psychological screening and care for dengue patients.","PeriodicalId":44029,"journal":{"name":"Mental Illness","volume":"2 9","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-11-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135392269","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Physical Activity and Exercise as a Tool to Cure Anxiety and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder","authors":"Saima Sabri, N. Rashid, Zhi-Xiong Mao","doi":"10.1155/2023/4294753","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/2023/4294753","url":null,"abstract":"Anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are the most prevalent psychiatric conditions and significant public health problems. However, research has tended to support claims that engaging in physical activity (PA) has beneficial psychological effects. The objective of this review is to examine exercise and PA therapies as a kind of PTSD and anxiety treatment. Exercise has been shown in interventional trials to be both anxiolytic and antidepressive in healthy individuals. Exercise and PA therapies have a variety of benefits and varying degrees of efficacy in treating PTSD and anxiety symptoms. PA has been shown to promote physical health; psychological health and a growing body of studies indicate that PA and general health are associated with PTSD and anxiety. These findings led to recommendations for exercise interventions as a safe, efficient, and effective therapeutic option for treating anxiety and PTSD symptoms. Studies have not, however, demonstrated that they can lower anxiety to the same degree as psychotropic drugs. Additionally, the majority of published studies have significant methodological flaws, necessitating the need for additional research to determine the ideal exercise modalities, frequency, duration, and intensity for enhancing the beneficial benefits of exercise on anxiety and PTSD.","PeriodicalId":44029,"journal":{"name":"Mental Illness","volume":"20 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2023-08-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"73496372","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Stress Is Associated with Quality of Life Reduction among Health Professionals in Vietnam: A Multisite Survey","authors":"Le Thi Kieu Hanh, Ngo Van Toan, Vu Minh Hai","doi":"10.1155/2023/6475605","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/2023/6475605","url":null,"abstract":"Stress in healthcare workers is increasingly common in recent times. Stress can have negative effects on the mental health and quality of life of healthcare workers. This study is aimed at measuring the quality of life and determining the relationship between quality of life and stress of health professionals in some hospitals in Vietnam. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on 520 health professionals working at Hanoi Medical University Hospital and Thai Binh Medical University Hospital. The World Health Organization Quality-of-Life Scale (WHOQOL-BREF) and the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 Items (DASS-21) scale were used to assess the quality of life and the stress status of healthcare workers. Multivariate regression was performed to measure the relationships between stress and quality of life. Results showed that the level of stress of health workers according to the DASS-21 scale at mild, moderate, severe, and very severe was 10.7%, 8.7%, 5.6%, and 2.9%, respectively. The mean score of overall quality of life was \u0000 \u0000 60.97\u0000 ±\u0000 11.39\u0000 \u0000 . Health workers under stress had a decrease in quality of life scores in physical, mental, social, and environmental domains. Stressed health workers had a reduced quality of life. Attention should be paid to providing appropriate interventions to reduce stress and improve the quality of life in healthcare workers.","PeriodicalId":44029,"journal":{"name":"Mental Illness","volume":"52 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2023-06-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"78312872","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Depressive Symptom Level, Sleep Quality, and Internet Addiction among Medical Students in Home Quarantine during the COVID-19 Pandemic","authors":"Danial Chaleshi, Fatemeh Badrabadi, Fatemeh Ghadiri Anari, Sepehr Sorkhizadeh, Z. Nematollahi, Mohammad Hosein Shirdareh Haghighi, M. Aghabagheri","doi":"10.1155/2023/1787947","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/2023/1787947","url":null,"abstract":"The COVID-19 pandemic has a major impact on the mental health of people around the world. Due to the possible impact of quarantine conditions on mental health, we decided to assess internet addiction, depressive symptom level (DSL), and sleep disorders among medical students during the quarantine of COVID-19. This cross-sectional study was performed among medical students during the COVID-19 quarantine in Iran. Participants were selected using the available sampling method. Sleep quality, internet addiction, and depression were assessed using an online survey of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Internet Addiction Test (IAT), and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), respectively. Also, sociodemographic data including age, gender, marital status, smoking status, living circumstances, and educational status were asked. Participants were asked to share the link in their class social media groups. SPSS (version 16) was used for statistical analysis. Students participated; 64.9% of whom were female (\u0000 \u0000 n\u0000 =\u0000 564\u0000 \u0000 ), and the mean age of participants was 21.3 years. 74.1% of students’ educational status was not mainly clinical. 48.2%, 28.6%, and 27.1% had poor sleep quality, DSL, and internet addiction, respectively. Smoking (AOR: 3.49, 95% CI: 1.56-7.76), living with family (AOR: 1.75, 95% CI: 1.16-2.66), and using social media for more than 2 hours were defined as predictive factors for depression. 165 participants (19%) were diagnosed with both poor sleep quality and DSL. There was a positive correlation between PSQI and PHQ-9 (\u0000 \u0000 r\u0000 \u0000 : 0.51, \u0000 \u0000 P\u0000 \u0000 value <0.001). A positive correlation was observed between IAT and PHQ-9 (\u0000 \u0000 r\u0000 \u0000 : 0.56, \u0000 \u0000 P\u0000 \u0000 value <0.001). The rate of DSL, internet addiction, and poor sleep quality were increased and strong correlations between them were concluded. Variables of gender, GPA, and smoking status were the most important associated variables.","PeriodicalId":44029,"journal":{"name":"Mental Illness","volume":"40 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2023-06-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"74423147","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Stress and Coping Mechanism among Students Residing in Private School Hostels","authors":"Rajeev Shrestha, Sudha Timalsina, Rajina Shakya, Nita Shrestha, Yasuhiro Kotera, Tayeba Hashemy, Akihiko Ozaki","doi":"10.1155/2023/6535583","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/2023/6535583","url":null,"abstract":"Background. Mental health problems can significantly impact a student’s academic performance, career, health, and future if they are not identified and managed in time. The poor mental health of young people is a global problem, including in Nepal. However, the scenario of perceived stress among adolescent students residing in academic hostels is not explored in Nepal. Therefore, this study aimed at determining the prevalence of perceived stress with its associated predictors, experienced stressors, and coping mechanisms among adolescent students residing in private hostels in Nepal. Methods. A cross-sectional study design was employed among all adolescent students of grades six to ten who resided in eight school hostels in Nepal. A total of 209 students responded to self-administered validated questionnaires for perceived stress (PSS-10) and coping scales. Results. More than half (51.67%) of the students experienced symptoms of perceived stress. Strict discipline in the hostel (77.03%) and groupism based on religion (5.26%) were the most common and least common stressors experienced, respectively. One-third of the students ( <math xmlns=\"http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML\" id=\"M1\"> <mi>n</mi> <mo>=</mo> <mn>70</mn> </math> , 33.5%) very often felt confident about handling personal problems. The presence of a mischievous element and neglect from friends were significant stressors determined. Seeking social support was the most used coping strategy over externalizing behaviours such as using bad words, yelling, and shouting. Conclusion. The study confirmed the presence of perceived stress among students living in hostels, where hostel residential factors were the predominant predictors. As a minority of the students can properly manage their stress, it is necessary to provide students with the appropriate educational counselling to help them deal with potential obstacles. Additionally, monitoring, increased communication with family and friends, and improving the hostel environment can be important in addressing students’ perceived stress.","PeriodicalId":44029,"journal":{"name":"Mental Illness","volume":"50 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-05-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135380575","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Time to Relapse and Relapse Predictors in Patients with Schizophrenia at Ayder Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Northern Ethiopia","authors":"Habtamu Endashaw Hareru, Kebede Embaye Gezae, Daniel Sisay W/tsadik, G. Gebregergs","doi":"10.1155/2023/6230063","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/2023/6230063","url":null,"abstract":"Background. Rehospitalization, treatment resistance, and impairment are all possible outcomes of a schizophrenia relapse, which has a severe impact on patients, families, and the healthcare system. However, little is known regarding the time to relapse and relapse predictors in Ethiopia and in the study settings. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the time to relapse and relapse predictors in patients with schizophrenia at Ayder Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Northern Ethiopia. Methods. A retrospective cohort study was carried out among 273 schizophrenia patients discharged from Ayder Comprehensive and Specialty Hospital between January 2015 and January 2019. The data was taken from the patient’s medical record and was chosen using a systematic random sampling procedure. A standardized data collection checklist was employed. The survival experiences of participants were compiled using a life table. Both univariate and multivariate Cox regression models were used for variable selection. Finally, after confirming the model’s diagnosis and assumptions, factors with a \u0000 \u0000 p\u0000 \u0000 value of less than 0.05 were declared to be statistically significant predictors of schizophrenia relapse. Results. In this study, the incidence of relapse was 2.9 per 100 person-months (PMs) and the median time to relapse of 13 months (interquartile range: 6–23 months). Being divorced (\u0000 \u0000 AHR\u0000 =\u0000 2.50\u0000 \u0000 , 95% CI: 1.18-5.28), not adhering to treatment (\u0000 \u0000 AHR\u0000 =\u0000 5.7\u0000 \u0000 , 95% CI: 3.03-10.74), and substance abuse (\u0000 \u0000 AHR\u0000 =\u0000 1.8\u0000 \u0000 , 95% CI: 1.01-3.22) were risk factors for increasing schizophrenia relapse. Age (\u0000 \u0000 AHR\u0000 =\u0000 0.65\u0000 \u0000 , 95% CI: 0.34-0.88) and length of first hospitalization (\u0000 \u0000 AHR\u0000 =\u0000 0.69\u0000 \u0000 , 95% CI: 0.57-0.86) were factors that decreased schizophrenia relapse. Conclusion and Recommendation. In this study, out of 100 patients with schizophrenia followed up for a month, three had a relapse, and the highest risk factor for relapse was treatment nonadherence, followed by being divorced and substance misuse. As a result, it is advised that all parties involved focus on early detection and taking preventive measures against schizophrenia relapse, as well as providing regular psychoeducation about the significance of treatment adherence and connecting patients with substance misuse to substance rehabilitation centers.","PeriodicalId":44029,"journal":{"name":"Mental Illness","volume":"253 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2023-05-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"77530238","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploring Mental Health Status and Psychosocial Support among Rohingya Refugees in Bangladesh: A Qualitative Study","authors":"Abu Naser Zafar Ullah, Pierre Pratley, Md. Shariful Islam, K. Islam, T. Roy","doi":"10.1155/2023/6128286","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/2023/6128286","url":null,"abstract":"Objectives. Decades of targeted violence, statelessness, and persecution have caused more than a million Rohingyas to flee their homes to Bangladesh. Although basic assistance is being provided, these refugees are living in highly challenging circumstances. The burden of mental health among these refugees is believed to be widespread; however, the extent of these problems is yet to be fully ascertained. We, therefore, conducted a qualitative study to explore the mental health status and psychosocial support among the Rohingya refugees. Methods. A participatory, qualitative research was conducted among the Rohingya refugees, guided by a multidisciplinary team of experts. A mix of purposive sampling, snowball sampling, and random sampling techniques was applied. The participants were randomly selected to ensure the representation of vulnerable groups and physically disabled people. Data were collected by using pretested semi-structured questionnaire and a health facility assessment checklist. The data were analysed using SPSS (version 24) and thematic content analysis techniques. Results. There is a high prevalence of mental health and psychological problems among the Rohingya refugees, but most of the problems are hidden or remained unnoticed. Daily stressors were found to be widespread and associated with social insecurity, lack of livelihood opportunities, and past trauma history of the participants. Conclusions. Stigma and cultural interpretation of mental health among Rohingya are unique and are different from the host population of Bangladesh. To address such huge and challenging problems, all partners working in the humanitarian assistance and development programs in Bangladesh need to provide integrated, effective, and culturally appropriate services to the Rohingya population.","PeriodicalId":44029,"journal":{"name":"Mental Illness","volume":"32 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2023-03-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"73643136","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Motivations and Limitations of Pursuing a Career in Psychiatry: A Cross-Sectional Study from the United Arab Emirates","authors":"S. Javaid, F. Al Mugaddam, Hind Mohd Ahmed, Amani Alkharoossi, Leena Amiri","doi":"10.1155/2023/9626526","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/2023/9626526","url":null,"abstract":"Background. The global burden of mental disorders continues to grow with significant health, social, and economic consequences. Unfortunately, the gap between the need for mental healthcare and its provision remains wide all over the world. The recruitment and retention of psychiatrists is a long-standing concern in the United Arab Emirates, with social stigma playing a potential role. This study is aimed at investigating the factors that affect psychiatrists’ choice of psychiatry as an area of practice in the United Arab Emirates. Methods. This cross-sectional study was undertaken using an anonymized 30-item online questionnaire. Ethical approval was obtained from the United Arab Emirates University Social Sciences Research Ethics Committee prior to participant recruitment. We recruited qualified psychiatrists currently working in the United Arab Emirates. The structured questionnaire assessed the participants’ sociodemographic factors and reasons for choosing psychiatry. Statistical analysis, including Pearson correlations and chi-square tests, was performed using the statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS) version 26. Results. We found that the doctors trained in the United Arab Emirates were statistically more likely to face opposition to specializing in psychiatry (\u0000 \u0000 p\u0000 \u0000 value < 0.001). Participants with a family member or friend as a psychiatrist were more likely to choose psychiatry as a first-choice specialty (\u0000 \u0000 p\u0000 \u0000 value 0.01). Psychiatrists below the age of 35 were more statistically likely to face opposition to their decision to specialize in psychiatry (\u0000 \u0000 p\u0000 \u0000 value 0.006). Psychiatrists who regretted their decision to specialize in psychiatry were statistically more likely to feel this way in their first year of residency (\u0000 \u0000 p\u0000 \u0000 value < 0.001). Conclusions. Multiple sociodemographic factors influence responses to the decision to specialize in psychiatry in the United Arab Emirates. Younger people and people who studied in or were a citizen of the United Arab Emirates were more likely to face opposition to their decision to specialize in psychiatry, indicating why there are such high rates of psychiatrists from overseas in the United Arab Emirates and shortages in the profession.","PeriodicalId":44029,"journal":{"name":"Mental Illness","volume":"89 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2023-02-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"80389057","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}