An evaluation of a mental health literacy course for Arabic speaking religious and community leaders in Australia: effects on posttraumatic stress disorder related knowledge, attitudes and help-seeking

Shameran Slewa-Younan; Maria Gabriela Uribe Guajardo; Yaser Mohammad; Henry Lim; Gabriela Martinez; Randa Saleh; Michele Sapucci

doi:10.1186/s13033-020-00401-7

An evaluation of a mental health literacy course for Arabic speaking religious and community leaders in Australia: effects on posttraumatic stress disorder related knowledge, attitudes and help-seeking

Int J Ment Health Syst. 2020 Aug 20:14:69. doi: 10.1186/s13033-020-00401-7. eCollection 2020.

Authors

Shameran Slewa-Younan^{1

2}, Maria Gabriela Uribe Guajardo¹, Yaser Mohammad³, Henry Lim⁴, Gabriela Martinez⁴, Randa Saleh⁵, Michele Sapucci⁶

Affiliations

¹ Mental Health, Translational Health Research Institute, Macarthur Clinical School, School of Medicine, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797 Penrith, Sydney, NSW 2751 Australia.
² Honorary Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Mental Health, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.
³ School of Medicine, Research Officer, Mental Health, Western Sydney University, Sydney, Australia.
⁴ Mental Wellbeing, Health Promotion Service, Population Health, South Western Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, Australia.
⁵ Adult Mental Health Team, Bankstown Community Mental Health, South Western Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, Australia.
⁶ Mental Health Promotion, Prevention & Early Intervention, Transcultural Mental Health Centre, Western Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, Australia.

Abstract

Background: Australia is an ethnically diverse nation with one of the largest refugee resettlement programs worldwide, including high numbers of refugees with an Arabic speaking background. Evidence suggests that refugees can demonstrate high levels of psychological distress and are at a higher risk of developing mental illness such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and major depressive disorder (MDD). Notwithstanding, research has also shown Arabic speaking refugees have lower levels of professional help-seeking behaviours, postulated to be related to mental health literacy levels.

Methods: A culturally sensitive mental health literacy (MHL) training program was developed and delivered in Arabic to Arabic speaking religious and community leaders using a 1-day training workshop format. An uncontrolled pre-, and post study design was used to provide a preliminary evaluation of improvement in PTSD-related knowledge, attitudes and help-seeking measures.

Results: A total of 54 adults were trained, with 52 completing the pre- and post-intervention questionnaire. Significant differences were found post-training in measures such as the ability to recognise mental health problems (p = 0.035) and an increased recognition of the role that medication can play in the treatment of PTSD (p = 0.00). Further, an improvement in negative attitudes such as a desire for social distance (p = 0.042) was noted and participants reported more helpful strategies in line with promoting professional help-seeking following training (p = 0.032).

Conclusion: Our findings indicated the training led to an improvement of some measures of MHL. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that the MHL program has been tailored for Arabic speaking religious and community leaders; who assist refugees with an Arabic background. By equipping community leaders with the knowledge to better respond to mental health problems, the overall goal of improving the mental health outcomes of Arabic speaking refugee communities is closer to being realised.

Keywords: Arabic speaking; Community and religious leaders; Mental health; Mental health literacy; Mental health promotion; Refugee.