Ahmad Ali Noorbala1, Seyed Abbas Bagheri Yazdi2, Soghrat Faghihzadeh3, Koorosh Kamali4, Elham Faghihzadeh5, Ahmad Hajebi6, Shahin Akhondzadeh7, Nazila Shahmansouri8, Mostafa Shakeri9. 1. Psychosomatic Medicine Research Center, Imam Khomeini Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. 2. Department of Mental Health, Ministry of Health and Medical Education of Iran, Tehran, Iran. 3. Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran. 4. Department of Public Health, School of Public Health, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran. 5. Department of Biostatistics, Paramedical School, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. 6. Research Center for Addiction and Risky Behaviors (ReCARB), Psychiatric Department, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. 7. Psychiatric Research Center, Roozbeh Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. 8. Department of Psychiatry, Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. 9. Mental Health Expertise of Charmahal and Bakhtiari Provincial Health Center, Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari University of Medical Sciences, Shahre Kord, Iran.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: This research aims to determine the mental health status of population aged 15 and over in the province of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari in 2015. METHODS: The statistical population of this cross-sectional field survey consisted of residents of urban and rural areas of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari in Iran. An estimated sample size of 1200 people was chosen using systematic random cluster sampling. The access was provided by the contribution of Geographical Post Office of Shahre Kord, Farsan and Farrokhshar cities. The General Health Questionnaire-28 (GHQ-28) was used as the screening tool for mental disorders. The analysis of data in the current study was carried out using the SPSS-18 software. RESULTS: Using GHQ traditional scoring method, the results showed that 24.9% of the subjects were at risk of mental disorders (26.8% of females and 23% of males). Urban areas (27.1%) were more at risk of mental disorders compared with rural residents (19.1%). Anxiety and somatization symptoms were more frequent than depression and social dysfunction among respondents. The obtained data revealed that the prevalence of mental disorders increased with age. The results also indicated that mental disorders were more common in certain subgroups, in particular females, people aged 65 years and above, the divorced and widowed, illiterate and unemployed adults. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that one fourth of the participants are at risk of developing mental disorders. Although the prevalence of these disorders has decreased from 39.1% to 24.9% between 1999 and 2015, it is still of great importance to further promote mental health policies and advocate psychological welfare of those suffering from mental disorders along with their re-empowerment.
INTRODUCTION: This research aims to determine the mental health status of population aged 15 and over in the province of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari in 2015. METHODS: The statistical population of this cross-sectional field survey consisted of residents of urban and rural areas of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari in Iran. An estimated sample size of 1200 people was chosen using systematic random cluster sampling. The access was provided by the contribution of Geographical Post Office of Shahre Kord, Farsan and Farrokhshar cities. The General Health Questionnaire-28 (GHQ-28) was used as the screening tool for mental disorders. The analysis of data in the current study was carried out using the SPSS-18 software. RESULTS: Using GHQ traditional scoring method, the results showed that 24.9% of the subjects were at risk of mental disorders (26.8% of females and 23% of males). Urban areas (27.1%) were more at risk of mental disorders compared with rural residents (19.1%). Anxiety and somatization symptoms were more frequent than depression and social dysfunction among respondents. The obtained data revealed that the prevalence of mental disorders increased with age. The results also indicated that mental disorders were more common in certain subgroups, in particular females, people aged 65 years and above, the divorced and widowed, illiterate and unemployed adults. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that one fourth of the participants are at risk of developing mental disorders. Although the prevalence of these disorders has decreased from 39.1% to 24.9% between 1999 and 2015, it is still of great importance to further promote mental health policies and advocate psychological welfare of those suffering from mental disorders along with their re-empowerment.
Entities:
Keywords:
Adult population; Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province; general health questionnaire (GHQ-28); mental health status