Lebanon is a small low- to middle-income country located on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean. Its population is estimated at around 7 million individuals, including 1.5 million Syrian refugees. It currently reports the highest proportion of adults aged 65 years and above (10%) among all Arab-speaking countries. Around 1% of the older adult population is institutionalized. In this chapter, we will review the most common psychiatric disorders in Lebanese older adults. We will also examine the predisposing factors for developing mental illness in this population, including psychosocial stressors. We will also describe the various specialized therapeutic and psychosocial services available to older adults with psychiatric disorders. We will then discuss different personal and systemic barriers to treatment. Finally, we will suggest recommendations and psychosocial strategies to promote geriatric mental health and improve accessibility and quality of mental healthcare tailored to the Lebanese and Arab region.

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Psychosocial Aspects of Mental Healthcare of Older Adults in Lebanon

  • Rita Khoury,
  • Bernadette Mdawar,
  • Elias Ghossoub,
  • Pierre Malychef,
  • George Karam

摘要

Lebanon is a small low- to middle-income country located on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean. Its population is estimated at around 7 million individuals, including 1.5 million Syrian refugees. It currently reports the highest proportion of adults aged 65 years and above (10%) among all Arab-speaking countries. Around 1% of the older adult population is institutionalized. In this chapter, we will review the most common psychiatric disorders in Lebanese older adults. We will also examine the predisposing factors for developing mental illness in this population, including psychosocial stressors. We will also describe the various specialized therapeutic and psychosocial services available to older adults with psychiatric disorders. We will then discuss different personal and systemic barriers to treatment. Finally, we will suggest recommendations and psychosocial strategies to promote geriatric mental health and improve accessibility and quality of mental healthcare tailored to the Lebanese and Arab region.