SHARJAH // Researchers in Sharjah are surveying UAE doctors and nurses to better recognise mental health problems among children and adolescents with chronic diseases.
The findings of the University of Sharjah study, funded by a grant from the Al Jalila Foundation, are to be used to develop courses to improve mental health awareness among medical professionals who treat non-adults.
Children and adolescents with chronic illnesses have a higher risk of developing mental health problems, such as anxiety or depression, said Dr Nabeel Al Yateem, assistant professor with the University of Sharjah nursing department.
With his team, he hoped that the research led to better training programmes, as earlier projects and discussions with paediatric doctors and nurses indicated a need for assessing their understanding of mental health care.
“The findings will inform the development of focused education programmes to assist health professionals to recognise emerging mental illness and assist with early referral and treatment for young people,” Dr Al Yateem said.
Awareness of mental health care was growing among medical professional but there was an eagerness for more training focused on children and teenagers.
“We have received a number of requests for education about mental health and mental illness from services providing care for children and adolescents,” he said.
Health professionals must be trained in reducing the stigma of mental-health problems, increasing awareness about mental illness, and assessing emotional and psychological aspects of a person’s health, said Dr Al Yateem. Improving knowledge in the community was also vital, starting with early education. Young people needed to learn how to identify and regulate their emotions and learn stress management skills, he said.
Dr Rachel Rossiter, assistant professor of nursing at Australia’s Charles Sturt University, is collaborating with Dr Al Yateem on the study after working with his department for six months in 2014.
During her University of Sharjah stay, she worked with nursing, nutrition, dietetics and dentistry students, teaching about the mental health and psychosocial aspects of health care.
“Tutorials and clinical placements provided the opportunity to hear from students about their concerns at the prospect of caring for people experiencing mental illness,” she said.
Dr Thoraiya Kanafani, clinical director at the Human Relations Institute and Clinics Dubai, said such research was vital to educate professionals about the signs of mental illness.
“Their education on identifying these symptoms, as well as the proper places to refer, is vital to the proper-case management for such individuals.”
mswan@thenational.ae