Kadhim Alabady
Dubai Health Authority, UAE
Title: What are the key priorities for mental health in the next 5 years for Dubai?
Biography
Biography: Kadhim Alabady
Abstract
Introduction: To provide a baseline of the current picture of major mental health challenges among people in Dubai which can then be used to measure the impact of interventions or service development.
Method: In order to carry out the mental health needs assessment we applied qualitative and quantitative methodology.
Result: The prevalence of people who suffer from different types of mental disorders remains largely unknown, many men are unwilling to seek professional help because of lack of awareness or the stigma attached to it. According to the Dubai Household Health Survey DHHS (2009), 14.5% of respondents reported moderate to severe depressive symptoms over a 2 weeks period.
It was predicted in 2014 that there would be 37,933 people suffering from psychotic disorders. It is estimated there would be 19,117 adults between the ages of 20 and 64 years with ASD in Dubai for 2014. It was estimated around 548 residents in Dubai aged 60 years or more in 2014 had dementia of which 338 were men.