Rania Awaad, MD

All Publications

• Improving Recruitment for Mental Health Research in Muslim American Women : Research Recruitment in Muslim American Women. Community mental health journal Awaad, R., Abolaban, H., Maklad, S., Ahmad, R., Koopman, C. 2021

  Abstract

  This study determines the methods for improving recruitment of Muslim American women in mental health research. Studying this minority population in moredepth will reduce their suffering from mental illness. A 40-item survey, along with cover letter, was hosted on the Stanford University website and sent via email to organizations known to have large Muslim American women populations. Although approximately 200-300 responses were hoped for, an unexpected total of 1279 women completed the survey within days. The effectiveness of this survey was attributed to multiple factors: ease of an online survey, privacy afforded through an anonymous survey, trust in the PI, the survey being hosted by areputableuniversity and understanding the importance of mental health research. It is important to continue improving methods to recruit the minority Muslim American women population for studies.

  View details for DOI 10.1007/s10597-021-00887-6

  View details for PubMedID 34510299

• Suicide Attempts of Muslims Compared With Other Religious Groups in the US. JAMA psychiatry Awaad, R., El-Gabalawy, O., Jackson-Shaheed, E., Zia, B., Keshavarzi, H., Mogahed, D., Altalib, H. 2021

  View details for DOI 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2021.1813

  View details for PubMedID 34287614

• Predicting rejection attitudes toward utilizing formal mental health services in Muslim women in the US: Results from the Muslims' perceptions and attitudes to mental health study. The International journal of social psychiatry Ali, S., Elsayed, D., Elahi, S., Zia, B., Awaad, R. 2021: 207640211001084

  Abstract

  BACKGROUND: The underutilization of mental health services is a recognized problem for the growing number of Muslims living in the West. Despite their unique mental health risk factors and the pivotal role they play in determining mental health discourse in their families and in society, Muslim women in particular have not received sufficient study.AIM: To help remedy this research gap, we examined factors that may impact the rejection attitudes of Muslim women toward professional mental health care using the first psychometrically validated scale of its kind; the M-PAMH (Muslims' Perceptions and Attitudes to Mental Health).METHODS: A total of 1,222 Muslim women responded to questions about their cultural and religious beliefs about mental health, stigma associated with mental health, and familiarity with formal mental health services in an anonymous online survey.RESULTS: Hierarchical multiple regression analysis revealed that higher religious and cultural beliefs, higher societal stigma, and lower familiarity with professional mental health services were associated with greater rejection attitudes toward professional mental healthcare. The final model was statistically significant, F (5, 1,216)=73.778; p<.001, and explained 23% of the variance in rejection attitudes with stigma accounting for the most (12.3%) variance, followed by cultural and religious mental health beliefs (6%), and familiarity with mental health services (2.7%).CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest that although the examined factors contributed significantly to the model, they may not be sufficient in the explanation of Muslim women's rejection attitudes toward mental health services. Future research may explore additional variables, as well as predictive profiles for Muslim women's perceptions and attitudes of mental health based on a combination of these factors.

  View details for DOI 10.1177/00207640211001084

  View details for PubMedID 33719665

• THE MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES FACING MUSLIM YOUTH IN THE ERA OF COVID-19 Adam, B. S., Awaad, R. Y., Abbasi, F. Z. ELSEVIER SCIENCE INC. 2021: S16

  View details for DOI 10.1016/j.jaac.2021.07.080

  View details for Web of Science ID 000707082800052

• BELIEFS AND BEHAVIORS OF TRANSITIONAL-AGED MUSLIM YOUTH IN COVID-19 Awaad, R. Y. ELSEVIER SCIENCE INC. 2021: S17

  View details for DOI 10.1016/j.jaac.2021.07.084

  View details for Web of Science ID 000707082800056

• Common and Country-Specific Characteristics Associated With Suicidality in the Arab Region. The Journal of clinical psychiatry Daouk, S., Awaad, R., Ahmed, B., Barakat, S., Munoz, R. F., Leykin, Y. 2020; 82 (1)

  Abstract

  OBJECTIVE: To explore the prevalence of recent (previous 2 weeks) suicide attempts and estimates of likelihood of future suicide attempts as well as demographic characteristics associated with such attempts among residents of the Arab region looking for depression information online.METHODS: Google Ads were used to recruit 1,003 Arabic-speaking adults mostly from February 2014 to June 2014 to take part in a depression and suicidality screening study using a self-report questionnaire based on DSM-IV diagnostic criteria.RESULTS: Of the eligible participants (N = 900), 10.6% reported a suicide attempt in the previous 2 weeks, and 16.1% indicated a likelihood of making a suicide attempt in the following month. Men, those declining to state their sexual orientation, those from lower subjective social status (SSS), and unemployed individuals had higher odds of reporting a past suicide attempt (P = .001, P = .002, P < .001, P = .023, respectively). Younger individuals, those less religious, those with past suicide attempt, and those with lower SSS had higher odds of a likelihood of a future suicide attempt (P = .03, P = .02, P < .001, P = .001, respectively). Comparing the 4 countries with highest number of participants (Algeria, n = 148, Egypt, n = 260, Morocco, n = 118, and Saudi Arabia, n = 99), lower SSS was associated with higher odds of an attempt for Algeria, Morocco, and Saudi Arabia, but not for Egypt (P = .002). Lower religiosity was related to higher odds of estimates of future suicide for Algeria, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia, but not for Morocco (P = .014).CONCLUSIONS: Suicidality among residents of Arab-speaking countries warrants further exploration. Common predictors of risk may be less relevant for some populations.​.

  View details for DOI 10.4088/JCP.19m13199

  View details for PubMedID 33356022

• US policy of public charge inadmissibility and refugee suicides LANCET PSYCHIATRY Awaad, R., Dailami, M., Noureddine, N. 2020; 7 (3): E12

  View details for Web of Science ID 000516810100005

• US policy of public charge inadmissibility and refugee suicides. The lancet. Psychiatry Awaad, R. n., Dailami, M. n., Noureddine, N. n. 2020; 7 (3): e12

  View details for DOI 10.1016/S2215-0366(20)30037-7

  View details for PubMedID 32087811

• Development and Validation of the Muslims' Perceptions and Attitudes to Mental Health (M-PAMH) Scale with a Sample of American Muslim Women JOURNAL OF MUSLIM MENTAL HEALTH Awaad, R., Fisher, A. J., Ali, S., Rasgon, N. 2019; 13 (2): 119–35

  View details for DOI 10.3998/jmmh.10381607.0013.205

  View details for Web of Science ID 000526417600006

• Considerations for clinicians treating Muslim patients with psychiatric disorders during Ramadan LANCET PSYCHIATRY Furqan, Z., Awaad, R., Kurdyak, P., Husain, M. I., Husain, N., Zaheer, J. 2019; 6 (7): 556–57

  View details for DOI 10.1016/S2215-0366(19)30161-0

  View details for Web of Science ID 000472225800011

• Considerations for clinicians treating Muslim patients with psychiatric disorders during Ramadan. The lancet. Psychiatry Furqan, Z., Awaad, R., Kurdyak, P., Husain, M. I., Husain, N., Zaheer, J. 2019

  View details for PubMedID 31056458

• A Muslim Graduate Student From Sudan Trapped by the Travel Ban. The American journal of psychiatry Awaad, R. 2017; 174 (10): 925-926

  View details for DOI 10.1176/appi.ajp.2017.17060700

  View details for PubMedID 28965465

• Facilitating mental health screening of war-torn populations using mobile applications SOCIAL PSYCHIATRY AND PSYCHIATRIC EPIDEMIOLOGY Hashemi, B., Ali, S., Awaad, R., Soudi, L., Housel, L., Sosebee, S. J. 2017; 52 (1): 27-33

  Abstract

  War-torn populations are often hard to screen for mental health disorders. Classical data collection approaches, such as paper-based, online, or SMS-operated, are either infeasible or lack accuracy due to a variety of challenges associated with dynamics and consequences of war.In this paper, we introduce a novel approach for accurate and fast screening using free open-source software, Open Data Kit (ODK) mobile application. This approach was developed by the Palestine Children's Relief Fund (PCRF) to assess the mental health symptoms of 986 Palestinian children (age 6-18) in the aftermath of Israel's Operation Protective Edge (OPE) in 2014. The organization developed assessment questionnaires and trained local field workers on the use of the mobile application, and on recruiting and interviewing war victims.War-affected children were found to suffer from several alarming symptoms associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and somatic symptoms. Children with highest number of psychological symptoms were referred for further evaluation and treatment.The use of ODK mobile technologies facilitated efficient screening of affected children in war zones. The offline data collection capability was crucial for handling the difficult conditions associated with war-torn areas, enabling timely intervention for urgent cases. Further applications of the novel mobile technology are to be explored.

  View details for DOI 10.1007/s00127-016-1303-7

  View details for Web of Science ID 000392312600004

• Facilitating mental health screening of war-torn populations using mobile applications. Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology Hashemi, B., Ali, S., Awaad, R., Soudi, L., Housel, L., Sosebee, S. J. 2016: -?

  Abstract

  War-torn populations are often hard to screen for mental health disorders. Classical data collection approaches, such as paper-based, online, or SMS-operated, are either infeasible or lack accuracy due to a variety of challenges associated with dynamics and consequences of war.In this paper, we introduce a novel approach for accurate and fast screening using free open-source software, Open Data Kit (ODK) mobile application. This approach was developed by the Palestine Children's Relief Fund (PCRF) to assess the mental health symptoms of 986 Palestinian children (age 6-18) in the aftermath of Israel's Operation Protective Edge (OPE) in 2014. The organization developed assessment questionnaires and trained local field workers on the use of the mobile application, and on recruiting and interviewing war victims.War-affected children were found to suffer from several alarming symptoms associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and somatic symptoms. Children with highest number of psychological symptoms were referred for further evaluation and treatment.The use of ODK mobile technologies facilitated efficient screening of affected children in war zones. The offline data collection capability was crucial for handling the difficult conditions associated with war-torn areas, enabling timely intervention for urgent cases. Further applications of the novel mobile technology are to be explored.

  View details for PubMedID 27815623

• A modern conceptualization of phobia in al-Balkhi's 9th century treatise: Sustenance of the Body and Soul. Journal of anxiety disorders Awaad, R., Ali, S. 2016; 37: 89-93

  Abstract

  Morbid fears and phobias have been mentioned in religious, philosophical and medical manuscripts since ancient times. Despite early insights by the Greeks, phobias did not appear as a separate clinical phenomenon in Western medicine until the 17th century and has evolved substantially since. However, robust investigations attempting to decipher the clinical nature of phobias emerged in pre-modern times during the oft-overlooked Islamic Golden Era (9th-12th centuries); which overlapped with Europe's medieval period. An innovative attempt was made by the 9th century Muslim scholar, Abu Zayd al-Balkhi, in his medical manuscript "Sustenance of the Body and Soul," to define phobias as a separate diagnostic entity. Al-Balkhi was one of the earliest to cluster psychological and physical symptoms of phobias under one category, "al-Fazaá", and outline a specific management plan. We analyze al-Balkhi's description of phobias, according to the modern understanding of psychiatric classifications and symptomatology as described in the DSM-5.

  View details for DOI 10.1016/j.janxdis.2015.11.003

  View details for PubMedID 26741063

• A Process-Oriented Approach to Teaching Religion and Spirituality in Psychiatry Residency Training. Academic psychiatry Awaad, R., Ali, S., Salvador, M., Bandstra, B. 2015; 39 (6): 654-660

  Abstract

  Although the importance of addressing issues of spirituality and religion is increasingly acknowledged within psychiatry training, many questions remain about how to best teach relevant knowledge, skills, and attitudes. Current literature on curricula highlights the importance of maintaining a clinical focus and the balance between didactic content and process issues. The authors present findings from a program evaluation study of a course on religion, spirituality, and psychiatry that deliberately takes a primarily process-oriented, clinically focused approach.Two six-session courses were offered. The first course targeted fourth-year psychiatry residents and the second targeted third-year psychiatry residents. Teaching sessions consisted of brief didactics combined with extensive process-oriented discussion. A two-person faculty team facilitated the courses. Clinical case discussions were integrated throughout the curriculum. A panel of chaplains was invited to participate in one session of each course to discuss the interface between spiritual counsel and psychiatry. A modified version of the Course Impact Questionnaire, a 20-item Likert scale utilized in previous studies of spirituality curricula in psychiatry, assessed residents' personal spiritual attitudes, competency, change in professional practice, and change in professional attitudes before and after the course (N = 20). Qualitative feedback was also elicited through written comments.The results from this study showed a statistically significant difference between the pre- and post-test scale for residents' self-perceived competency and change in professional practice.The findings suggest improvement in competency and professional practice scores in residents who participated in this course. This points toward the overall usefulness of the course and suggests that a process-oriented approach may be effective for discussing religion and spirituality in psychiatric training.

  View details for DOI 10.1007/s40596-014-0256-y

  View details for PubMedID 25510222

• Obsessional Disorders in al-Balkhi's 9th century treatise: Sustenance of the Body and Soul JOURNAL OF AFFECTIVE DISORDERS Awaad, R., Ali, S. 2015; 180: 185-189

  Abstract

  Some argue that the earliest case of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) was reported by Robert Burton in his compendium The Anatomy of Melancholy (1621) and that only in the 19th century did modern concepts of OCD evolve, differentiating it from other types of mental illness. In this paper, we aim to reveal an even earlier presentation of the malady we now call OCD based on the 9th century work, Sustenance of the Body and Soul, written by Abu Zayd al-Balkhi during the Islamic Golden Era. Discovery of this manuscript reveals that Abu Zayd al-Balkhi should be credited with differentiating OCD from other forms of mental illnesses nearly a millennium earlier than is currently claimed by anthologies documenting the history of mental illness. Particular attention is paid to al-Balkhi's classifications, symptom descriptions, predisposing factors, and the treatment modalities for obsessional disorders. Analysis of this manuscript in light of the DSM-5 and modern scientific discoveries reveals transcultural diagnostic consistency of OCD across many centuries. Theoretical and clinical implications of these findings are also discussed.

  View details for DOI 10.1016/j.jad.2015.03.003

  View details for Web of Science ID 000354607700027

  View details for PubMedID 25911133

• A Journey of Mutual Growth: Mental Health Awareness in the Muslim Community Partnerships in Mental Health Awaad, R. edited by Roberts, L. Springer International Publishing Switzerland . 2015