Ahmad Ali Noorbala
1*, Seyed Abbas Bagheri Yazdi
2, Soghrat Faghihzadeh
3, Koorosh Kamali
4, Elham Faghihzadeh
5, Ahmad Hajebi
6, Shahin Akhondzadeh
7, Masoud Mozhdehi Fard
8, Shahla Haghighat
9, Amir Mohammadi Rad
101 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 Psychosomatic Medicine Fellowship Residency of Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran,
9 Responsible Expertise of Mental Health in Semnan Provincial Health Center, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan Iran,
10 Mental Health Expertise of Shahroud Health Center, Shahroud University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran
Abstract
Introduction: This research aims to determine the mental
health status of population aged 15 and over in the province of Semnan in 2015.
Method: The statistical population of this cross-sectional
field survey consisted of residents of urban and rural areas of Semnan province
in Iran. Through systematic random cluster sampling, 1200 individuals were
selected from the residents of urban and rural areas of Semnan, Garmsar and
Shahroud. The 28-item version of the General Health Questionnaire was applied
as the screening tool. The data were analyzed using SPSS, version 18.0 for
windows.
Results: This study showed that using the
traditional scoring method, 14.5% of the subjects (15.8% of females and 13.1%
of males) were suspected of having mental disorders. The prevalence of
suspected psychiatric disorders in urban areas (15.5%) was higher than the
prevalence of these disorders in rural areas (12.1%). The prevalence of
suspected anxiety and the somatization of symptoms was higher than the
prevalence of social dysfunction and depression, and the prevalence of these
components was higher in women than in men. The findings of this study also
showed that the prevalence of suspected mental disorders increased significantly
with age. The prevalence of suspected cases of these disorders was higher among
women, the age group of 65 and older, people living in urban areas, divorced
and widowed, illiterate, and unemployed people than 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.