Al-Sharbati Zena, Hallas Claire, Al-Zadjali Hazar, Al-Sharbati Marwan
Department of Behavioural Medicine, Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman;
Sultan Qaboos Univ Med J. 2012 Feb;12(1):25-32. doi: 10.12816/0003084. Epub 2012 Feb 7.
There is significant evidence that psychotherapy is a pivotal treatment for persons diagnosed with Axis I clinical psychiatric conditions; however, a psychotherapy service has only recently been established in the Omani health care system. This study aimed to investigate the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of attendees at a psychotherapy clinic at a tertiary care hospital.
An analysis was carried out of 133 new referrals to the Psychotherapy Service at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, a tertiary care hospital.
The majority of referrals were females (59%), aged 18-34 years, employed (38%), had ≤12 years of formal education (51%), and were single (54%). A total of 43% were treated for anxiety disorders (including obsessive compulsive disorder), while 22% were treated for depression. A total of 65% were prescribed psychotropic medications. The utilisation of the Psychotherapy Service and its user characteristics are discussed within the context of a culturally diverse Omani community which has unique personal belief systems such as in supernatural powers (Jinn), contemptuous envy (Hassad), evil eye (Ain) and sorcery (Sihr) which are often used to explain the aetiology of mental illness and influence personal decisions on utilising medical and psychological treatments.
Despite the low number of referrals to the Psychotherapy Service, there is reason to believe that psychotherapy would be an essential tool to come to grips with the increasing number of mental disorders in Oman.
有大量证据表明心理治疗是诊断为轴I临床精神疾病患者的关键治疗方法；然而，阿曼医疗保健系统中直到最近才设立心理治疗服务。本研究旨在调查一家三级护理医院心理治疗诊所就诊者的社会人口学和临床特征。
对苏丹卡布斯大学医院（一家三级护理医院）心理治疗服务的133例新转诊病例进行了分析。
大多数转诊者为女性（59%），年龄在18 - 34岁之间，有工作（38%），正规教育年限≤12年（51%），且为单身（54%）。共有43%的患者因焦虑症（包括强迫症）接受治疗，22%的患者因抑郁症接受治疗。共有65%的患者被开具了精神药物。在阿曼这个文化多元的社区背景下讨论了心理治疗服务的使用情况及其用户特征，该社区有着独特的个人信仰体系，如对超自然力量（精灵）、轻蔑嫉妒（恶意）、邪眼（毒眼）和巫术（魔法）的信仰，这些信仰常被用来解释精神疾病的病因，并影响个人在使用医疗和心理治疗方面的决定。
尽管转诊到心理治疗服务的人数较少，但有理由相信心理治疗将是应对阿曼日益增多的精神障碍的重要工具。
