Survey on Mental Health Status in Iranian Population Aged 15 and Above One Year after the Outbreak of COVID-19 Disease: A Population-Based Study.

BACKGROUND: Mental disorders are the most common health problems that affect different population groups. According to the national survey in 2015 based on General Health Questionnaire-28 (GHQ-28), 23.44% of Iranians older than 15 years were suspected of having a mental disorder. The study aimed to determine the mental health status of the population over 15 years of age in the Islamic Republic of Iran, one year after the outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020. METHODS: The population-based study was performed on 24584 individuals over 15 years of age in Iran between December and February, 2020. The GHQ-28 was completed through telephone interviews. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square test, independent t-test, and multiple logistic regression at 95% confidence level. RESULTS: The results showed that the mean age of participants was 44.18±16.47 years. The prevalence of mental disorders was 29.7%. Mental disorder was associated with female gender (OR=1.195, 95% CI 1.10-1.29), 25-44 years (OR=1.206, 95% CI 1.06-1.36), urban life (OR=1.116, 95% CI 1.04-1.19), illiteracy (OR=1.286, 95% CI 1.11-1.48), being divorced (OR=1.924, 95% CI 1.50- 2.45), and unemployment (OR=1.657, 95% CI 1.40-1.94). Among the participants and their families, 14.7% and 32.3% were infected with the disease, respectively. The COVID-19 mortality rate in their families was 13.2%. The prevalence of mental disorders in infected people (40% vs. 27.3%) and bereaved families (39.6% vs. 35.3%) was more than the non-infected groups. CONCLUSION: Our results showed that in Iran, the mental health of the general population had a rising trend compared to 2015, especially in people infected with COVID-19 and bereaved families. The observed difference may be due to the prevalence of the COVID-19 epidemic and rapid demographic, social, and economic changes in Iran. Planning to improve mental health in the mentioned population should be considered for the post COVID-19 era.

Evaluation of Drug and Alcohol Abuse in People Aged 15 Years and Older in Iran.

BACKGROUND: Drug addiction is known as one of the health, medical and social problems of the present century. Beyond the harmful physical and mental consequences for addicts, drug abuse can cause serious social problems. The aim of this study was to evaluate drug and alcohol abuse in individuals aged 15 yr and over in Iran in 2015. METHODS: This descriptive cross-sectional study was done on individuals aged 15 yr and older who lived in urban and rural areas of Iran. Overall, 36,600 individuals were selected by systematic and cluster random sampling. The postal code was used to access the samples in 31 provinces of Iran. In each province 1200 individuals (50% men, 50% women) were evaluated. The used instrument was the Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST), and data were analyzed using SPSS software. RESULTS: The results showed 4.6% of individuals used Opium and its derivatives, 0.4% used Cannabis, 0.4% used Amphetamine stimulants, 6.1% used Sedative drugs, and 2.6% used Alcoholic beverages on a regular basis. Within the last 12 months, 3.9% of individuals used Opium and its derivatives, 0.4% used Cannabis, 0.3% used Amphetamine stimulants, 5.8% used Sedative drugs, and 1.9% used Alcoholic beverages. With the exception of Sedatives drugs men used more drugs than women and residents of rural areas used more opium and its derivatives than other groups of drugs. Based on the provincial distribution, Kerman and Qom used the highest and lowest prevalence percentage of Opium and its derivatives respectively. CONCLUSION: Overall, 2340000 individuals were addicts used Opium and its derivatives in 2015, therefore, medical and health officials should take all necessary measures to deal with these serious social problems.

Mental Health Survey of the Iranian Adult Population in 2015.

BACKGROUND: Mental disorders influence people with a high prevalence and exert remarkable burden on community members. This study was carried out aiming to assess mental health status within the age range category of 15 and above in the Islamic Republic of Iran. METHODS: The statistical population of this cross-sectional survey consisted of residents of urban and rural areas in Iranian provinces. An estimated sample size of 36000 people was chosen using systematic random sampling and the cluster method. Access was provided by the contribution of the Geographical Post Office for each province. The GHQ-28 was used as a screening tool for mental disorders. Data analysis was carried out using SPSS-18 software. RESULTS: The results were gathered by the traditional scoring method. A total of 23.44% of samples were suspected of having mental disorders. The prevalence of suspicion for mental disorders was higher in urban (24.55%) than rural areas (20.89%). The prevalence of anxiety and somatization symptoms was higher than social dysfunction and depression symptoms. The outcomes also revealed that the prevalence of suspicion for mental disorders increased noticeably with aging. Suspicion for these disorders was more common in women, divorcees and widows, illiterates, less educated, unemployed and disabled individuals compared with other potential groups of the society. CONCLUSION: Comparison of the outcomes from this study with the research conducted in 1999, demonstrated an increasing prevalence rate of suspicion for mental disorders. Therefore, it is mandatory for Iranian public health authorities to take the needed steps to ensure that necessary requirements encompassing prevention and promotion of mental health are implemented.

A Survey on Mental Health Status of Adult Population Aged 15 and above in the Province of Kohghilouyeh and Bouyerahmad, Iran.

INTRODUCTION: This research aims to determine the mental health status of population aged 15 and over in the province of Kohghilouyeh and Bouyerahmad in 2015. METHODS: The statistical population of this cross-sectional field survey consisted of residents of urban and rural areas of Kohghilouyeh and Bouyerahmad 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 Yasuj, Dogonbadan, and Dehdasht cities. The General Health Questionnaire-28 (GHQ-28) was used as a 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 16.9% of the subjects showed to be at risk of mental disorders (20.1% of females and 13.4% of males). Urban areas (18.3%) were more at risk of mental disorders compared with rural residents (13.9%). 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 sixth of the participants are at risk of developing mental disorders. Although the prevalence of these disorders has decreased from 26.2% to 16.9% 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.

A Survey on Mental Health Status of Adult Population Aged 15 and above in the Province of Lorestan, Iran.

INTRODUCTION: This research aims to determine the mental health status of population aged 15 and over in the province of Lorestan in 2015. METHODS: The statistical population of this cross-sectional field survey consisted of residents of urban and rural areas of Lorestan in Iran. An estimated sample size of 1200 people was chosen using the systematic random sampling and the cluster method. Access provided by the contribution of Geographical Post Office of Khorramabad, Aligoodarz, and Kuhdasht cities. The General Health Questionnaire-28 (GHQ-28) was used as a screening tool for mental disorders. Data analysis in the current study was carried out using the SPSS-18 software. RESULTS: This study showed that using the traditional scoring method, 36.3% of the subjects (40.8% of females and 31.8% of males) were suspected of mental disorders. The prevalence of suspected psychiatric disorders in rural areas (38.1%) was higher than the prevalence of these disorders in urban areas (35.7%). 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 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 among women, the age group of 65 and older, people living in urban areas, divorced and widowed, illiterate, and housewives people was higher than the other groups. CONCLUSION: The results of this study show that more than one third of the sample were suspected of mental disorders, and the prevalence of these disorders has increased from 19.7% in 1999 to 36.3% in 2015. 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.

A Survey on Mental Health Status of Adult Population Aged 15 and above in the Province of North Khorasan, Iran.

INTRODUCTION: This research aims to determine the mental health status of population aged 15 and over in the province of North Khorasan in 2015. METHODS: The statistical population of this cross-sectional field survey consisted of residents of urban and rural areas of North Khorasan in Iran. Through systematic random cluster sampling, 1200 individuals were selected from the residents of urban and rural areas of of Bojnourd, Sfaraien and Shirvan. 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, 22.2% of the subjects (28% of females and 16.4% of males) were suspected of mental disorders. The prevalence of suspected psychiatric disorders in urban areas (23.9%) was higher than the prevalence of these disorders in rural areas (18.3%). 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 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 retired people compared to the other groups. CONCLUSION: The results of this study show that more than one fifth of the sample were suspected of mental disorders. Therefore, health authorities and administrators need to take the principle measures to ensure and maintain the mental health of individuals as well as the evaluation and treatment of patients with mental disorders.

A Survey on Mental Health Status of Adult Population Aged 15 and above in the Province of Markazi, Iran.

INTRODUCTION: This research aims to determine the mental health status of population aged 15 and over in the province of Markazi in 2015. METHODS: The statistical population of this cross-sectional field survey consisted of residents of urban and rural areas of Markazi 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 Arak, Delijan, and Saveh cities. The General Health Questionnaire-28 (GHQ-28) was used as a screening tool for mental disorders. Data analysis in the current study was carried out using the SPSS-18 computer software. RESULTS: This study showed that using the traditional scoring method, 25.1% of the subjects (31% of females and 18.9% of males) were suspected of having mental disorders. The prevalence of suspected psychiatric disorders in urban areas (25.2%) was higher than the prevalence of these disorders in rural areas (24.8%). 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 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 among women, the age group of 65 and older, people living in urban areas, divorced and widowed, illiterate, and housewives people was higher than other groups. CONCLUSION: The results of this study show that more than one fourth of the sample were suspected of mental disorders, and the prevalence of these disorders has increased from 18.6% in 1999 to 25.1% in 2015. 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.

A Survey on Mental Health Status of Adult Population Aged 15 and above in the Province of Mazandaran, Iran.

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.

A Survey on Mental Health Status of Adult Population Aged 15 and above in the Province of Razavi Khorasan, Iran.

INTRODUCTION: This research aims to determine the mental health status of population aged 15 and over in the province of Razavi Khorasan in 2015. METHODS: The statistical population of this cross-sectional field survey consisted of residents of urban and rural areas of Razavi Khorasan 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 Mashhad, Torbate Jam and Sabzavar 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 23.7% of individuals (26.9% of females and 20.6% of males) were suspected of mental disorders. The prevalence of suspected cases of mental disorders was 23.6% in urban and 23.8% in rural areas. It was also shown 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, people living in rural areas, divorced and widowed, illiterate, housewives and retired individuals compared with the other groups. CONCLUSION: The results of this study showed that about a fourth of the people in the province were suspected to have mental disorders and the prevalence rate of mental disorders increased from 7.7% in 1999 to 23.7% in 2015. 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.

A Survey on Mental Health Status of Adult Population Aged 15 and above in the Province of Qazvin, Iran.

INTRODUCTION: This research aims to determine the mental health status of population aged 15 and over in the province of Qazvin in 2015. METHODS: The statistical population of this cross-sectional field survey consisted of residents of urban and rural areas of Qazvin 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 Qazvin, Alvand, Mohammadieh and Abhar 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, 25.8% of the subjects were shown to be at risk of mental disorders (29.5% of females and 22.1% of males). Urban areas (27%) were more at risk of mental disorders compared with rural residents (23.3%). 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. These disorders were more common in females, age group of 65 and above, people living in rural areas, divorced and widowed, illiterate and unemployed individuals compared with the other groups. CONCLUSION: The results of this study showed that about a fourth 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.

A Survey on Mental Health Status of Adult Population Aged 15 and above in the Province of Semnan, Iran.

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.

A Survey on Mental Health Status of Adult Population Aged 15 and above in the Province of South Khorasan, Iran.

INTRODUCTION: This research aims to determine the mental health status of population aged 15 and over in the province of South Khorasan in 2015. METHODS: The statistical population of this cross-sectional field survey consisted of residents of urban and rural areas of South Khorasan in Iran. Through systematic random cluster sampling, 1200 individuals were selected from the residents of urban and rural areas of Birjand, Ghayen and Ferdows cities. 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: Based on GHQ traditional scoring method, this study showed that 17.1% of the respondents (20% of women and 14.1% of men) were suspected of having mental disorders. The prevalence of suspected individuals for mental disorders was higher in urban areas (18.2%) than rural areas (14.5%). It was also shown that the prevalence of anxiety and somatization symptoms was higher than social dysfunction and depression symptoms, and women revealed higher prevalence for these disorders compared with men. The findings of this study also indicated that the prevalence of suspected cases for mental disorders increased with age. The prevalence of suspected cases of these disorders was higher in women aged 65 and over, divorced, widowed, uneducated and the retired compared to the other groups. CONCLUSION: The results of this study show that one sixth of the sample population were suspected of mental disorders; therefore, health authorities and administrators need to take the principled measures to ensure and maintain the mental health of individuals as well as the evaluation and treatment of patients with mental disorders.

A Survey on Mental Health Status of Adult Population Aged 15 and above in the Province of Sistan and Bluchestan, Iran.

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.

A Survey on Mental Health Status of Adult Population Aged 15 and above in the Province of Qom, Iran.

INTRODUCTION: This research aims to determine the mental health status of population aged 15 and over in the province of Qom in 2015. METHODS: The statistical population of this cross-sectional field survey consisted of residents of urban and rural areas of Qom in Iran. An estimated sample size of 600 people was chosen using systematic random cluster sampling. The access was provided by the contribution of Geographical Post Office of Qom city. 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 computer software. RESULTS: Using GHQ traditional scoring method, 16.2% of the subjects were shown to be at risk of mental disorders (19.7% of females and 12.6% of males). Urban areas (17%) were more at risk of mental disorders compared with rural residents (6.5%). 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. Such disorders were more common in females, age group of 65 and above, people living in rural areas, divorced and widowed, illiterate, retired and unemployed individuals compared with the other groups. CONCLUSION: The results of this study showed that 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. .

A Survey on Mental Health Status of Adult Population Aged 15 and above in the Province of Tehran, Iran.

INTRODUCTION: This research aims to determine the mental health status of population aged 15 and over in the province of Tehran in 2015. METHOD: This cross-sectional survey was performed on 1,200 individuals aged fifteen years and older, living in urban, and rural areas of the three main districts of Tehran, Shahriar, and Nasimshahr of Tehran Province. Individuals were enrolled in the study by clustered and systematic randomization. The General Health Questionnaire-28 (GHQ-28) was used for screening for common mental disorders. Those scoring above the cut-off point of the GHQ-28 were considered to be suffering from at least one mental disorder. All data was analyzed using the SPSS-18 software. RESULTS: According to our data, 30.2% of the subjects (34.2% of females and 26.4% of males) were suspected of having mental disorders. The prevalence of suspected psychiatric disorders in urban areas (35.1%) was higher than the prevalence of these disorders in rural areas (18.2%). Scoring above the cut-off point of the GHQ-28 also had a positive correlation with age, especially among those aged 65 years old and above. Somatization and also symptoms of anxiety were more prevalent than social dysfunction and depressive symptoms, and also more prevalent among females compared to males. Being suspected of a mental disorder was also more prevalent among those who had been divorced, widowed, unemployed, and having post-graduate university education. CONCLUSION: The results of this study show that about one third of our sample population were suspected of suffering from a mental disorder. The prevalence of common mental disorders has increased from 21.2% in 1999 to 31.7% in 2015. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that public health authorities put more effort to ensure necessary requirements encompassing prevention and promotion of mental health of the Iranian population residing in Tehran province.

A Survey on Mental Health Status of Adult Population Aged 15 and above in the Province of West Azarbaijan, Iran.

INTRODUCTION: This research aims to determine the mental health status of population aged 15 and over in the province of West Azarbaijan in 2015. METHOD: This cross-sectional field study was conducted on the residents of both urban and rural areas of the West Azarbaijan province. Through systematic random cluster sampling, 1200 individuals were selected from the residents of urban and rural areas of Urumia, Salmas and Mahabad. 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: Using GHQ traditional scoring method, the results showed that 24% of individuals (29.1% of females and 18.7% of males) were suspected of mental disorders. The prevalence rate of mental disorders was 19.8% for rural and 25.8% for urban areas. Prevalence of somatization and anxiety was higher than social dysfunction and depression and women revealed higher prevalence for these disorders compared with men. It was also shown that the prevalence rate significantly increased with age and was higher in women, people aged 65 and above, urban residents, widowed or divorced, illiterate, housewives, unemployed and retired people. CONCLUSION: The results of this study showed that about a quarter of the people in the province were 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 is on the increase in this province (from 13.5% in 1999 to 24% in 2015). Therefore, it seems vital that the officials take action in order to improve and maintain mental health status of the people who are at risk.

A Survey on Mental Health Status of Adult Population Aged 15 and above in the Province of Yazd, Iran.

INTRODUCTION: This research aims to determine the mental health status of population aged 15 and over in the province of Yazd in 2015. METHOD: This cross-sectional field study was conducted on the residents of both urban and rural areas of the Yazd province. Through systematic random cluster sampling, 1200 individuals were selected from the residents of urban and rural areas of Yazd, Ardekan and Meybod. 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 indicates that through traditional scoring method, 26.7% of study population were highly suspicious for psychiatric disorders (32.1% of females and 21.4% of males). The prevalence of probable psychiatric disorders in urban areas (28.7%) was higher than the prevalence in rural areas (21.3%). The prevalence of probable somatization and anxiety was higher than the prevalence of social dysfunction and depression, and also the prevalence of these disorders was higher in women. The findings of this study show that the prevalence of probable psychiatric disorders has a direct relationship with increasing age and the prevalence of such disorders is higher in women, urban residents, individuals aged more than 65, divorced and widowed individuals, illiterate and unemployed people. CONCLUSION: The results of this study show that more than one quarter of study population were suspicious for psychiatric disorders and the prevalence of these disorders increased from 11.8% to 26.7% since 1999. So, health authorities in this province have to do their best for provision, maintenance and improvement of mental health.

A Survey on Mental Health Status of Adult Population Aged 15 and above in the Province of Zanjan, Iran.

INTRODUCTION: This research aims to determine the mental health status of population aged 15 and over in the province of Zanjan in 2015. METHOD: This cross-sectional field study was conducted on the residents of both urban and rural areas of the Zanjan province. Through systematic random cluster sampling, 1200 individuals were selected from the residents of urban and rural areas of of Zanjan, Abhar and Qeydar. 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, 28.5% of the subjects (32.9% of females and 24.2% of males) were suspected of having mental disorders. The prevalence of suspected psychiatric disorders in urban areas (30%) was higher than the prevalence of these disorders in rural areas (24.8%). 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 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 retired individuals compared to the other groups. CONCLUSION: The results of this study show that more than one quarter of the sample (28.5%) were suspected of mental disorders, and the prevalence of these disorders has increased from 21.3% in 1999 to 28.5% in 2015. Therefore, it is up to the authorities and health managers of the province to take the basic steps to supply, maintain, and preserve the mental health of those in need and promote the mental health of the community.

Trends of Mental Health Status in Iranian Population Aged 15 and above between 1999 and 2015.

INTRODUCTION: The main objective of this study was to compare the results of mental health surveys on adult populations of all provinces in Iran, between 1999 and 2015. METHODS: This study was an overview of two cross-sectional, descriptive studies that were performed in 1999 and 2015. The study population of these two studies consisted of urban and rural residents of all provinces in Iran. Samples were recruited by systematic random cluster sampling. In both studies, the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28) was used to assess mental health status of respondents. Trained psychologists completed questionnaires, and data were analyzed using SPSS software-18. RESULTS: The results showed that in the survey of 1999, 21% of participants suffered from mental disorders (25.9% of females and 14.9% of males). In the survey of 2015, 23.4% of samples were suspected of having mental disorders (27.6% of females and 19.3% of males). The prevalence of mental disorders increased from 1999 to 2014 by about 1.12 fold (1.06 fold in females and 1.3 fold in males). In the survey of 1999, rural residents were more at risk of mental disorders, while in the survey of 2015, urban residents were more prone to mental disorders. In both studies, the risk of suspicion for mental disorders increased with increasing age, and was higher in people aged 65 and above, as well as widowed, divorced and illiterate individuals. CONCLUSION: The results of this study showed an increase in suspected cases of mental disorders in Iran from 1999 to 2015. Therefore, it is vital for policymakers and health officials to take action in order to improve and maintain mental health status of the people who are at risk in the country.

A Survey on Mental Health Status of Adult Population Aged 15 and above in the Province of Alborz, Iran.

INTRODUCTION: The main objective of this study was to determine the mental health status of population aged 15 and over in the province of Alborz in the year 2015. METHODS: The statistical population of this cross-sectional field survey consisted of residents of urban and rural areas of Alborz province in Iran. An estimated sample size of 1200 people was chosen using systematic random cluster sampling. Access was provided by the contribution of Geographical Post Office of Karaj, Mohammad Abad, and Nazar Abad 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 SPSS-18 software. RESULTS: Using GHQ traditional scoring method, the results showed that 19% of individuals (23.8% of females and 14.1% males) were suspected for mental disorders. The prevalence of suspected cases of mental disorders was 21.3% in urban and 13.8% 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 groups of 65 and above, people living in urban areas, divorced and widowed, illiterate and unemployed individuals compared with other groups. CONCLUSION: The results of this study showed that about one fifth of people in the province are suspected for 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.