‘80% of depression and anxiety patients recover’
Depression and anxiety account for 17.5% of mental health disorders diagnosed in Qatar, but a health specialist at Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) says up to 80% of such patients are able to recover with treatment.
According to Dr Mohamed Ali Siddig Ahmed, director of HMC’s Community Mental Health Services, most patients diagnosed with depression and anxiety are classified as mild to moderate cases. He says around 20% of patients are diagnosed with severe de- pression and notes that those between the age of 30 to 40 are most at risk of severe depression and anxiety.
“Anxiety and depression can affect anyone, at any time and can affect different people in different ways. Just like a physical illness, mental illness can be treated. Mental illnesses are manageable conditions and recovery is possible. As with physical health conditions, early diagnosis and support are key to successfully treating mental illness,” said Dr Ahmed.
While HMC is the main provider of specialist mental healthcare in Qatar, the healthcare provider works alongside Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) and private sector clinics and hospitals to deliver mental healthcare in a variety of settings, according to the needs of individual patients.
“Primary healthcare physicians are trained to treat some forms of mental illnesses and many patients with depression and anxiety are effectively treated at PHCC health centres. HMC and the PHCC work together very closely to ensure patients receive the right care. It is an integrated service and we work together to diagnose and treat patients with mental health disorders,” said Dr Ahmed.
Dr Fatema Musa, head of the Mental Health Programme at PHCC, said HMC and PHCC are working together to provide more integrated care for mental health patients. She says mental health services are available across all PHCC centres. “Upwards of 20% of people will have a common mental illness such as depression or anxiety at some point in their life. At PHCC, we have ensured that common mental illnesses are identified and treated as a routine part of our clinical practice,” said Dr Musa.
Two years ago, HMC opened a community-based mental health facility in Muaither which provides specialist outpatient and inpatient mental health services. The facility works alongside HMC’s existing hospital-based services and receives patients referred from 10 PHCC health centres in the western region. According to Dr Ahmed, to date around 1,200 patients have been cared for at the facility in Muaither and he says about half of those were treated for depression and anxiety.
Iain Tulley, national health strategy lead, Mental Health and Wellbeing and CEO of Mental Health at HMC, said it is essential to consider physical and mental health together. “One in four of us will suffer from a mental health condition at some point in our life. Failure to address this can impact negatively on our physical health,” he said. “Looking after mental health, being able to talk openly about our feelings of anxiety, stress or depression is key to our physical well-being.”