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, Mohammad Reza Hashem Zehi
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 in Mazandaran Provincial Health Center, Marzandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
Abstract
Introduction: This research aims to determine the mental
health status of population aged 15 and over in the province of Mazandaran in 2015.
Methods: The statistical population of this
cross-sectional field survey consisted of residents of urban and rural areas of
Mazandaran in Iran. The access was provided by the contribution of Geographical
Post Office of Sari, Babol, and Tonekabon 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 17% of the studied population (21% of females and 13% of males) were
considered as likely cases. The prevalence rate of mental disorders was 19.8%
for urban and 15.8% for urban areas. Prevalence of somatization and anxiety was
higher than social dysfunction and depression and women revealed higher
prevalence for these disorders compared to men. It was also shown that the prevalence
rate significantly increased with age and was higher in women, people aged 45-64
years, urban residents, widowed or divorced, illiterate, and unemployed people.
Conclusion: The results of this study showed
that about a sixth of the people in the province are suspected to have mental
disorders. Comparing the results of the current survey with those of the study
conducted in 1999 suggests that the prevalence of mental disorders has
increased in this province (from 12.3% in 1999 to 17% in 2015). Therefore, it
seems vital for the officials to take action in order to improve and maintain
mental health status of the people who are at risk.