What are the barriers to accessing psychological therapy in Qatar: A concept mapping study

Brown, Eleanor

Abstract

Background: Mental health problems are highly prevalent throughout the world; however, all too frequently individuals do not receive treatment. Psychological therapy is a potentially successful intervention but barriers to its access, which are likely to be country specific, could be better understood.
Aims: The aim of this paper was to identify the perceived barriers to accessing psychological therapy for people living in Qatar from the perspective of clinicians and policymakers involved in designing and delivering mental health care.
Method: A mixed methodology known as concept mapping was used to investigate the views of mental health clinicians and policymakers. Concept mapping invites participants to first brainstorm the issue, in this case potential barriers to accessing psychological therapy in Qatar (qualitative data). Participants then sort barriers into groups (clusters) and rate each barrier in terms of perceived importance (quantitative data). Differences between the views of the two participant groups were also observed. The data were analysed using principle component analysis, cluster analysis, descriptive statistics and t-tests.
Results: 15 clinicians and 11 policymakers took part in the study. They generated a total of 251 potential barriers that were consolidated into 80 statements. A nine-cluster concept map was produced from the results of all 26 participants. These clusters were labeled as; Stigma, Impact of the family, Cultural implications, Stigma impacting on reality, Cross-cultural Therapy, Workforce and training, Local (mis)understanding of therapy, Structural problems within the country and East meets West. The individual level barriers of stigma, family and culture were rated as being more important than organizational level barriers. The only statistically significant difference found between the views of clinicians and policymakers was that clinicians rated the East meets West cluster as more important than policymakers did.
Conclusions: There are numerous barriers to accessing psychological therapy in Qatar. All participants rated barriers relating to the individual as having a greater impact on individual’s access to therapy than organization level barriers. Addressing these barriers is likely to require a multi-faceted response involving health policy as well as political and sociological level changes. The views of service users and their families also need to be explored.

Citation

Brown, E. What are the barriers to accessing psychological therapy in Qatar: A concept mapping study. (Thesis). University of the West of England. Retrieved from https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/873339

• Thesis Type: Thesis
• Deposit Date: Mar 12, 2018
• Publicly Available Date: Mar 12, 2018
• Keywords: concept mapping, barriers, psychological therapy
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/873339
• Award Date: Jan 1, 2018