The role of psychologists in primary health care: The experience of the Hot-Line Telephone for Psychological Aid in Yemen

The role of psychologists in primary health care: The experience of the Hot-Line Telephone for Psychological Aid in Yemen

MENA Dubai 2003 Abstract

Author

Maan A. Barry

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This paper reviews this experience of the Hot-Line Telephone Service for Psychological Aid in Yemen, Aden Town, which ensued upon the initiative of the Yemeni Association for Mental Health towards the achievement of the targets of the Association and in collaboration with the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at the University of Aden, wherein in April 2000, the inauguration of the service of the Hot-Line Telephone has taken place after approximately two years of preparation and coordination for the purpose of this project and that was with the collaboration of the Regional Council of the World Federation of Psychological Health in the Middle East.

The principle target of this service is for providing assistance and psychological guidance to the citizens who are unable to call on Doctor or Psychological Consultant either for financial or geographical reasons (Remote Governorates wherein these services are not available) or rather because of the social stigma of the psychological condition, particularly in our Conservative Oriental Arab Community.

Themes of this service cover all age categories of various psychological and social problems: Disorders of childhood and adolescence, youth and old age, marriage problems, domestic violence, mental disorder, adaptation, stress, sentimental problems, etc. A team of Psychological Specialists from the Faculty of Medicine, Dept. of Behavioral Sciences, the Central Psychiatric Hospital in the Governorate of Aden, and those having practical experience over ten years, will initiate, in rotation, this service, daily from 5–8 p.m., except weekly holidays.

The location of this service is at the Behavioral Sciences Section in the Medial Faculty of the Aden University.

The experience is considered to be the first one in the Peninsula and the Arab Gulf in so far as the provision of Psychological Aid Services over the telephone is concerned. The Epidemilogical data of telephone calls during the years 2000–2003 shows the following distribution: (6%) Domestic Violence Problems, (9%) Sentimental Problems, (4%) Sexual Problems, (10%) Childhood and Adolescence Disorders, (10%) School Problems, (35%) Mental Disorders, (26 %) other Multifarious Problems.