Ahmad Ali Noorbala1, Seyed Abbas Bagheri Yazdi2, Soghrat Faghihzadeh3, Koorosh Kamali4, Elham Faghihzadeh5, Ahmad Hajebi6, Shahin Akhondzadeh7, Mansour Shakiba8, Fatemah Sargazi9, Shirin Shahriari10. 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. Associated Professor of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan, Iran. 9. Mental Health Expertise of Sistan and Bluchestan Provincial Health Center, Sistan and Bluchestan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan, Iran. 10. Mental Health Expertise of Zabol Health Center, Zabol University of Medical Sciences, Zabol, Iran.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: This research aims to determine the mental health status of population aged 15 and over in the province of Sistan and Baluchestan in 2015. METHOD: The statistical population of this cross-sectional field survey consisted of residents of urban and rural areas of Sistan and Baluchestan province 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 Zahedan, Zabol, and Saravan cities. The General Health Questionnaire-28 (GHQ-28) was used as the screening tool for mental disorders. Data analysis in the current study was carried out using the SPSS-18 software. RESULTS: Using GHQ traditional scoring method, the results showed that 15.1% of individuals (17.2% of females and 13% of males) were suspected of mental disorders. The prevalence of suspected cases of mental disorders was 19% in urban and 13.5% in rural areas. It also showed that somatization and anxiety symptoms were more prevalent than social dysfunction and depression symptoms, and were more common in women than men. The results of this research also showed that the prevalence of suspected cases of mental disorders increased with aging. Such disorders were more common in females, age group of 65 and above, people living in urban areas, divorced and widowed, illiterate and retired individuals compared with the other groups. CONCLUSION: The results of this study showed that about a sixth of the people in the province were suspected to have mental disorders. Therefore, it is mandatory for the provincial public health authorities to take the needed steps to ensure that necessary requirements encompassing prevention and promotion of mental health are implemented.
INTRODUCTION: This research aims to determine the mental health status of population aged 15 and over in the province of Sistan and Baluchestan in 2015. METHOD: The statistical population of this cross-sectional field survey consisted of residents of urban and rural areas of Sistan and Baluchestan province 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 Zahedan, Zabol, and Saravan cities. The General Health Questionnaire-28 (GHQ-28) was used as the screening tool for mental disorders. Data analysis in the current study was carried out using the SPSS-18 software. RESULTS: Using GHQ traditional scoring method, the results showed that 15.1% of individuals (17.2% of females and 13% of males) were suspected of mental disorders. The prevalence of suspected cases of mental disorders was 19% in urban and 13.5% in rural areas. It also showed that somatization and anxiety symptoms were more prevalent than social dysfunction and depression symptoms, and were more common in women than men. The results of this research also showed that the prevalence of suspected cases of mental disorders increased with aging. Such disorders were more common in females, age group of 65 and above, people living in urban areas, divorced and widowed, illiterate and retired individuals compared with the other groups. CONCLUSION: The results of this study showed that about a sixth of the people in the province were suspected to have mental disorders. Therefore, it is mandatory for the provincial public health authorities to take the needed steps to ensure that necessary requirements encompassing prevention and promotion of mental health are implemented.
Entities:
Keywords:
Adult population; Sistan and Bluchestan province; general health questionnaire (GHQ-28); mental health status