IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/sae/socpsy/v69y2023i5p1121-1133.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Urbanization and mental health: A perspective from Riyadh City, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Author

Listed:
  • Yasmin A Altwaijri
  • Abdullah S Al-Subaie
  • AbdulHameed Al-Habeeb
  • Sandro Galea
  • Marya Akkad
  • Mohammad Talal Naseem
  • Lisa Bilal

Abstract

Background: While global studies demonstrated that features of urban living are associated with the risk of developing mental disorders, there remains a significant knowledge gap surrounding this topic in the Middle East and North Africa region. Aims: This study aims to assess the prevalence, severity, correlates, and treatment of mental disorders in Riyadh City by examining certain aspects of urban living such as exposure to traumatic events, early exposure to urbanization, and seeking treatment. Methods: The Saudi National Mental Health Survey is a community epidemiological survey in a nationally representative sample of citizens aged 15 to 65 in KSA. The World Health Organization Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI 3·0) was used to estimate the 12-month prevalence of common mental disorders. Results: The prevalence of any mental disorder in Riyadh City was 29.2%. The most common disorders were anxiety disorders and mood disorders. Female, young, and previously married respondents were at higher risk for developing mental disorders. Exposure to traumatic events was associated with all types of mental disorders. Only 2.9% of those with any mental disorder sought mental health treatments. Conclusions: We found a high prevalence of mental disorders in Riyadh City that could be attributed to certain features of urban living. These results may point to potential interventions in urban areas that can mitigate the adverse consequences of urban living and promote the salutogenic aspects of cities.

Suggested Citation

  • Yasmin A Altwaijri & Abdullah S Al-Subaie & AbdulHameed Al-Habeeb & Sandro Galea & Marya Akkad & Mohammad Talal Naseem & Lisa Bilal, 2023. "Urbanization and mental health: A perspective from Riyadh City, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 69(5), pages 1121-1133, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:socpsy:v:69:y:2023:i:5:p:1121-1133
    DOI: 10.1177/00207640231152202
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/00207640231152202
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1177/00207640231152202?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Abdulaziz S. Alangari & Sarah S. Knox & Alfgeir L. Kristjansson & Sijin Wen & Kim E. Innes & Lisa Bilal & Abdulhameed Alhabeeb & Abdullah S. Al-Subaie & Yasmin A. Altwaijri, 2020. "Barriers to Mental Health Treatment in the Saudi National Mental Health Survey," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(11), pages 1-13, May.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Hasan Beyari, 2023. "The Relationship between Social Media and the Increase in Mental Health Problems," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(3), pages 1-11, January.
    2. Lubna A Alnasser & Maria Francesca Moro & Mohammad Talal Naseem & Lisa Bilal & Marya Akkad & Reema Almeghim & Abdulhameed Al-Habeeb & Abdullah S. Al-Subaie & Yasmin A Altwaijri, 2024. "Social determinants of anxiety and mood disorders in a nationally-representative sample – Results from the Saudi National Mental Health Survey (SNMHS)," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 70(1), pages 166-181, February.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:sae:socpsy:v:69:y:2023:i:5:p:1121-1133. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: SAGE Publications (email available below). General contact details of provider: .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.