The results of our evaluation following the implementation  of the mental health awareness programme revealed  that the mental health awareness campaign was beneficial and led to improvement of attitude and behaviours related to mental health and reduction in stigma related to professional help-seeking.

 

The following are the main reported significant views of the mental health service users, the public and the referral agencies.

The findings were concluded by completing checklist phone and written designed questionnaires tailored towards the impact of the mental health awareness campaign on attitude, stigma related to professional help-seeking and reduction of mental health stigma which were reported  few months following the embarking the mental health awareness campaign and had lasted for four years in Al Ain District, UAE (2000-2004).

Conclusions:

1. Prompted mental health and anti stigma campaign awareness increased incrementally over the period of the campaign. 

2. More acceptance of visiting and receiving psychiatric or psychological care by the general public. 

3. Increase in mental health awareness and knowledge among other professionals such as medical, paramedical and hospital administration about the importance of mental health.

4. Increase in referral rates of cases by medical and non medical agencies such as social work departments,schools,other official and community agencies to the psychiatric and the psychological services.

5. Early detection of mental health problems by professionals,families and the public.

6. Increase in motivation and compliance with the psychiatric treatment plan among the patients and relatives, hence helped to reduce relapse rate.

7. Significant improvement in behaviour and attitude related to mental health and also reduction in stigma related to psychiatric help-seeking.

8. Marked improvement in attitude towards the efficacy of medication and improved compliance with medication and other psychological treatments.

9. Increase in the recognition rate of mental health problems among patients by the general practitioner and other medical staff hence increase in the referral rates to psychiatric and psychological services.

10. Decline in the admission and readmission rate to psychiatric and general words for mental health related cases.

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Dr A Abdulwahab,FRCPsych April 2004

Mental Health Awareness programme outcome report /AAW/2004