Geriatric Mental Health and COVID-19: An Eye-Opener to the Situation of the Arab Countries in the Middle East and North Africa Region.

Journal: The American journal of geriatric psychiatry : official journal of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry

Volume: 28

Issue: 10

Year of Publication: 2020

Affiliated Institutions:  Department of Psychiatry, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon. Electronic address: samer.elhayek@gmail.com. Department of Emergency Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon. Helwan Mental Health Hospital, Cairo, Egypt. The Sudanese Medical Specialization Board, Khartoum, Sudan. Department of Psychiatry, Damascus University, Damascus, Syria. Oman Medical Specialty Board, Muscat, Oman. Prince Sultan Military Medical City, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Al Ain Hospital, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Ibn Rushd Psychiatry University Center, Casablanca, Morocco. University of Algiers, Drid Hocine Hospital specialized in Psychiatry, Department A, Algiers, Algeria. Department of Psychiatry, University of Benghazi, Benghazi, Libya. Razi Hospital, Faculty of medicine of Tunis, Tunis El Manar University, Cite Romana, Tunis, Tunisia. Hamad Medical Corporation, Mental Health Service, Doha, Qatar. National Center for Mental Health, Ministry of Health, Jordan. Department of Behavioural Medicine, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman.

Abstract summary 

While the detrimental ramifications of the COVID-19 outbreak on the mental wellbeing of the general public continue to unravel, older adults seem to be at high risk. As the geriatric population continues to grow in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, it is essential to explore the influence of this outbreak on geriatric mental health, a topic often neglected. In this review, we depict the status of geriatric psychiatry in the Arab countries of the MENA region, exploring the variations from one nation to another. While some have a null exposure to the field, resources and expertise in other countries range from very limited to extensive. Furthermore, we highlight the measures implemented in the Arab region to address mental health during the COVID-19 outbreak; these tend to be insufficient when targeting the geriatric population. Finally, we provide short- and long-term recommendations to stakeholders that aim at enhancing the mental healthcare of older adults in the Arab countries of the MENA region, particularly during this pandemic.

Authors & Co-authors:  El Hayek Samer S Cheaito Mohamad Ali MA Nofal Marwa M Abdelrahman Doaa D Adra Ali A Al Shamli Siham S AlHarthi Mansour M AlNuaimi Nawaf N Aroui Chaimaa C Bensid Lynda L Emberish Alkhansa Mahdi AM Larnaout Amine A Radwan Ahmed A Slaih Mohammad M Al Sinawi Hamed H

Study Outcome 

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Statistics
Citations :  Ebrahim SH, Ahmed QA, Gozzer E. Covid-19 and community mitigation strategies in a pandemic. BMJ. 2020;368:m1066.
Authors :  15
Identifiers
Doi : 10.1016/j.jagp.2020.05.009
SSN : 1545-7214
Study Population
Male,Female
Mesh Terms
Africa, Northern
Other Terms
Arab;COVID-19;MENA region;geriatric psychiatry
Study Design
Study Approach
Country of Study
Publication Country
England