Ahmad Ali Noorbala
1*, Seyed Abbas Bagheri Yazdi
2, Soghrat Faghihzadeh
3, Koorosh Kamali
4, Elham Faghihzadeh
5, Ahmad Hajebi
6, Shahin Akhondzadeh
7, Alia Shakiba
8, Seyedeh Maryam Hashemi Nasab
91 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 Psychiatrist, Psychiatry and Psychology Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran,
9 Responsible Manager of Mental Health office of Golestan Provincial Health Center, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran
Abstract
Introduction: This research aims to determine the mental
health status of population aged 15 and over in the province of Golestan in 2015.
Methods: The statistical population of this cross-sectional field
survey consisted of residents of urban and rural areas of Golestan 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 Gorgan, Gonbad-e-Qabus, and Aqqala 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 computer software.
Results: Using GHQ traditional scoring method, the results
showed that 12.8% of the subjects showed to be at
risk of mental disorders (13.3% of females and 12.3% of males). Urban areas
(13%) were more at risk of mental disorders compared with rural residents
(12.3%). 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
women, those aged 65 years and above, the divorced and widowed, illiterate and
retired adults.
Conclusion: Our
findings suggest that one eighth of the participants were at risk
of developing mental disorders. Although the prevalence of these disorders has
decreased from 39.1% to 12.8% 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.