Psychologists' perspective of mental health in Yemen during the civil war and COVID-19: a qualitative inquiry

Sumaia Mohammed Zaid; Ahlam Mohammed Fadel; Sahar Mohammed Taresh; Lubna Ali Mohammed; Nina Fitriana

doi:10.1007/s12144-022-03617-7

Psychologists' perspective of mental health in Yemen during the civil war and COVID-19: a qualitative inquiry

Curr Psychol. 2022 Oct 14:1-12. doi: 10.1007/s12144-022-03617-7. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Sumaia Mohammed Zaid¹, Ahlam Mohammed Fadel¹, Sahar Mohammed Taresh², Lubna Ali Mohammed³, Nina Fitriana⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychology, Faculty of Art and Human Science, Sana'a University, Sana'a, Yemen.
² Department of kindergarten, Faculty of Education, Taiz University, Taiz, Yemen.
³ Department of TESL, Faculty of Social Sciences, Arts, and Humanities, Lincoln University College (LUC), Kelantan, Malaysia.
⁴ Department of Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Mercu Buana University of Yogyakarta, Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

Abstract

In comparison to other Middle Eastern nations that are experiencing conflicts and wars, Yemen has the greatest rate of mental health issues since the war was accompanied by distressing experiences and severe chronic psychological crises. This study aims to examine the current state of psychological problems from the perspectives of psychologists and psychiatrists in light of the ongoing civil war and the COVID-19 pandemic. This study included 20 psychologists and psychiatrists in total. Semi-structured face-to-face interviews with the psychologists and psychiatrists were done between October 2021 and December 2021 and between May 2022 and June 2022. Handwritten notes and field notes were used to record the interview process. The transcripts were inductively analysed using Braun and Clarke's thematic analytic approach to get the main themes and subthemes. The four major themes that emerged from the emerging codes are the impact of war on mental health, the impact of COVID-19 on mental health, the healthcare system, and the lack of awareness about mental health. These themes reveal how the civil war and COVID-19 contributed to Yemenis' mental health issues and resulting psychological disorders. Yemenis' mental health and well-being are under several threats; thus, the government and other relevant authorities must take urgent measures to lessen the impact of mental illness on society.

Keywords: COVID-19; Mental health; Psychological disorders; Psychologists; War; Yemen.

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