A Comprehensive Evaluation of Social Prescribing Frameworks for Children, Adolescents, and the Elderly in the United Arab Emirates

By

Haleema Khatoon- Psychologist and Inclusion Advocate

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is undergoing a systemic transition from a hospital-centric biomedical model to a community-driven “mental wealth” paradigm. Social prescribing is a non-clinical pathway connecting individuals to community-based support, and serves as a primary mechanism to address the social determinants of health (SDOH; WHO, 2022). This framework is particularly vital for the UAE’s vulnerable demographics i.e., children and adolescents facing academic and/or digital pressures and the elderly experiencing social isolation.

1. The Paradigm Shift: From Mental Health to “Mental Wealth”

Historically, the UAE utilized a psychiatric-heavy model focused on inpatient stabilization and pharmacology. However, rapid urbanization and digital integration have necessitated a biopsychosocial approach (WHO, 2022). Social prescribing identifies non-medical needs (housing, isolation, physical inactivity) and refers patients to non-clinical services like art, sports, or nature-based activities (Morse et al., 2022). This transition is formalized through the National Strategy for Wellbeing 2031 and the Dubai Social Agenda 33. The “Mental Wealth” Concept, Launched by the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) with an AED 105 million investment, this framework treats psychological wellbeing as a national asset to be nurtured rather than a burden to be managed (UAE Government, 2021).

2. Socio-Economic Drivers & Epidemiology

The demand for social prescribing is driven by a rising “upstream” health burden. Recent data indicates that approximately 28% of primary healthcare patients in the UAE present with mental health conditions, with anxiety (56%) and depression (32%) being the most prevalent (DHA, 2022). Global analyses integrated into UAE planning suggest that poor mental health leads to indirect costs (lost productivity and disability) that are 2 to 3 times higher than direct medical expenses (OECD, 2021). Social prescribing mitigates these costs by diverting low-level needs away from overstretched clinical systems.

3. Legislative and Strategic Foundations

The UAE has established a robust legal infrastructure to support community-centric care as follows:

●       UAE Federal Law on Mental Health: Mandates patient dignity, social integration, and the establishment of monitoring committees to safeguard rights.

●       National Policy for the Promotion of Mental Health (2017): Emphasizes early detection and the integration of mental health into primary care (WHO, 2021).

●       National Strategy for Wellbeing 2031: Includes 90 initiatives and the National Wellbeing Observatory to monitor social cohesion and resilience as “national assets” (UAE Government, 2021).

4. Demographic-Specific Evaluations

4.1. Pediatric and Adolescent Mental Health

UAE youth face unique stressors including high academic expectations and digital saturation. Post-pandemic studies show that 40.6% of UAE school students are at risk for PTSD, with 23.3% showing anxiety and 17.1% showing depression (Alarte, 2023). Less than one-third (15%–33%) of UAE children meet the recommended 60 minutes of daily physical activity, while 45%–74% exceed two hours of daily screen time (Baghestani, 2026). Social prescribing utilizes schools as the primary gateway, connecting students to resilience-building community assets to prevent “middle stream” non-medical needs from becoming clinical crises (NASP, 2021).

4.2. Geriatric Mental Health: Loneliness and Cognition

For the elderly, the focus shifts to “cognitive longevity” and social connectivity. Loss of social roles and physical decline lead to depression and accelerated cognitive impairment (Holt-Lunstad, 2021). Programs focusing on intergenerational activities and sharing oral histories serve as “cognitive stimulation” prescriptions (Moretti et al., 2025), reducing the isolation that accelerates dementia (Salinas et al., 2022).

5. The Link Worker: Operational Linchpin

The success of social prescribing relies on the Link Worker (Wellness Navigator), a non-clinical professional who co-produces personalized care plans (NHS England, 2023). Shifting the clinical question from “What is the matter with you?” to “What matters to you?”. It requires standardized training in empathy, local community asset mapping, and risk recognition (NASP, 2021; NICE, 2021). In the UAE, the Social Prescribing Alliance Network (SPAN) is leading the development of regional frameworks to professionalize this workforce.

6. Implementation Challenges

6.1. Cultural Stigma & De-medicalization

Cultural barriers often lead patients to prefer traditional or faith-based healing (WHO, 2022). Social prescribing bypasses this by “de-medicalizing” support, referring a patient to a gardening club or sports team carries significantly less stigma than a psychiatric referral (Morse et al., 2022).

6.2. The Insurance Gap

While enhanced plans have included mental health since 2020, basic insurance often excludes non-clinical interventions like psychotherapy or community-based art therapy. Scaling requires insurance providers to recognize the preventative ROI (Return on Investment) of social prescribing (OECD, 2021).

7. Actionable Policy Recommendations

To scale social prescribing from 2026 onwards, the following it is required to formalize the “Wellness Navigator” role within MOHAP and DHA with certification standards (NASP, 2021). It can be incentivized by providing grants or tax incentives to community providers (sports clubs, arts centers) that accept “prescribed” participants (NHS England, 2023). Digital Integration is crucial, to use AI and mobile health apps to track participation and measure the effectiveness of community interventions (NICE, 2021). Revisiting the School Curricula and integrating social prescribing referral pathways into the Ministry of Education’s school health system (UAE Government, 2021).

References

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Baghestani, A., Majed, L., Lock, M., Alrahma, A., Abi Nader, P., Sayegh, S., ... & Loney, T. (2026). Physical Activity Indicators Among Children and Adolescents in Lebanon, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates: Comparative Synthesis of Active Healthy Kids Report Card Data From 1998 to 2022. JMIR Public Health and Surveillance, 12, e85998.  https://publichealth.jmir.org/2026/1/e85998 

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UAE Government. (2021). National strategy for wellbeing 2031. Government of the UAE. https://u.ae/en/about-the-uae/strategies-initiatives-and-awards/federal-governments-strategies-and-plans/national-wellbeing-strategy-2031

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