Seeking Healthcare in Many Different Places: Mental Health Strengths and Challenges Among Omani Female Adolescents.
Zeyana Al Ismaili, Faye Gary, Cheryl M Killion and 3 others
PMID 40326879WHAT IT FOUND
Omani young women said stigma, cost, and fear that school nurses or social workers would tell parents kept them from mental health care.
They still valued family and government support and some used prayer, peers, or the internet.
Key findings
01Twelve Omani female adolescents aged 18 to 23 were interviewed, and saturation was reached at the sixth participant.
02Most participants reported depression, stress, and tension, but mental health issues were not reported to healthcare providers.
03Stigma, cost, and fear that school nurses or social workers would tell parents discouraged help-seeking; some relied on prayer, spiritual healers, peers, or the internet.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The sample was only 12 participants, so the themes may not represent all Omani female adolescents. Participants had to speak English or Arabic and have internet access, so those without these were excluded. Participants were single, aged 18 to 23, and living in Muscat, so the findings may not apply to younger adolescents, married adolescents, or other regions.
Declared interests
No funding or conflict-of-interest declaration is provided in the supplied text.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that Omani young women do not need mental health care because they rarely report problems to providers. They described stigma, cost, and fear of parents being contacted as reasons they avoided care.