Community Ment Health J. 2000 Oct; 36(5): 501-11.

Gendered utilization differences of mental health services in Jordan.

Al-Krenawi A, Graham JR, Kandah J.

Department of Social Work, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel. alean@gbumail.bgu.ac.il

A revised Hopkins Symptom Checklist (HSCL), translated into Arabic, was distributed to a sample of 87 nonpsychotic mental health out-patients in Zarka, Jordan (male = 61, female = 26). Findings revealed no significant gendered differences, but higher responses among women in all dimensions. Regardless of gender, patients also expected and were satisfied with medicinal treatment; explained etiologies as having supernatural origins; and utilized informal community traditional healing and religious healing systems. The supernatural explanations and community healing systems varied by gender. Findings emphasize future treatment and programme development strategies that take into account the biomedical/traditional interface, culturally appropriate treatment modalities, different gendered patient needs, and the potential stigma of professional treatment.