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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., (2022 The Author(s). This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.)

Aim: Pregnancy is one of the most sensitive periods in a person's life; therefore maternal mental illness during pregnancy increases the risk for adverse developmental outcomes in children (Jha et al., 2018). The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of psychiatric interventions in the mental health of pregnant women in Kashan, Iran., Methods: The purpose of this clinical trial was to evaluate an integrated model of mental health during pregnancy over the period of 2015-2018 in Kashan. Subjects consisted in 202 pregnant women (101 in the intervention group and 101 in the control group) who were referred to Kashan Health Centers in the 6th to 10th weeks of pregnancy. The General Health Questionnaire-28, Golombok Rust Inventory of Marital State, an interview on psychiatric symptoms, and a review of the history of the mental health of the mother and first-degree relatives were utilized for data collection. In the intervention group, psychiatric measures and predictive drug treatments were presented., Results: Overall, from among 102 pregnant mothers, 39 women (37.14%) were identified as at-risk and high-risk. The highest number of mothers identified as at-risk and high-risk were in the first trimester of pregnancy and in the 6th to 10th weeks of care (64%). With the start of psychiatric interventions in the intervention group, the subscale of physical complaints and anxiety showed a significant decrease compared to the control group (P < 0.01). Mental health improvement was achieved in 95% of expectant mothers through Level I predictive measures, and only 5% of participants required the specialist level of intervention., Conclusion: By identifying psychiatric disorders in pregnant mothers during the first level of pregnancy care services and taking suitable measures, an integrated model for mental health services in primary health care for pregnant women can help managers, policymakers, and decision-makers to improve health and reduce the costs in the health system in order to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Mental health is one of the characteristic benchmarks of public health. This research aimed to evaluate mental health of survivors of the Bam earthquake which occurred in 2003 twelve years after the earthquake in fall of 2015., Methods: The statistical population of this cross-sectional study were people over 16 years of age who were present at the time of the earthquake in the city of Bam. The sample of the study consisted of 1500 people selected from the survivors by multistage sampling. The general health questionnaire-28 was used as a screening tool for mental disorders. The independent sample test, ANOVA test, Welch test, one-sample t test and the multiple logistic regression test were used to analyze the data. The analysis of data in the current study was carried out using the SPSS-18 software., Results: Using the GHQ Likert scoring method, the results showed 52% of the people surveyed were suspected of having mental disorders (49.93% of men and 54.27% of women). Somatization and anxiety is more frequent than severe depression in respondents. The obtained statistics revealed that the prevalence of mental disorders amplified with loss of close relatives and age (odds ratio [OR] =1.457 and 1.828 respectively). The results also indicated that widows and divorcees (66.66%), illiterates and drop-outs (57.48%) and the elderly (77.12%) had the highest average in terms of having mental disorders., Conclusion: The results of this study showed more than half of the Bam earthquake survivors are suspected to be suffering from mental disorders. Since natural disaster-related mental illness effects can last for many years, comprehensive screening programs at regular intervals are required. Mental health services should be available to the elderly and people at risk in order to ensure restoration of mental health after a catastrophe., (© 2019 The Author(s). This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.)

People living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA) face several challenges in terms of the medical management of their disease. Alongside this are stigma, discrimination and psychosocial issues associated with HIV infection. In this study, the relationships associated with HIV-related stigma, mental health and quality of life for HIV-positive patients were investigated. This cross-sectional study examined a sample of 450 HIV positive patients from the Infectious Diseases and Behavioral Health Clinic of Imam Khomeini Hospital in the city of Tehran, Iran. PLWHA completed Socio-Demographic Characteristics, Berger Scale Stigma (BSS), General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28), WHO Quality of life-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF) and Philips Social Support Appraisals (SSA). Stigma was significantly correlated with psychological variables, social support, and quality of life. A prevalence of psychiatric disorders was reported by 78.8%. Findings suggested that psychosocial interventions reduce HIV related stigma, address psychological disorders and build social support to improve quality of life for people living with HIV.

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.

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.

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.

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. .

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 Hormozgan in 2015., Methods: This cross-sectional field study was conducted on the residents of both urban and rural areas of the Hormozgan province. Through systematic random cluster sampling, 1200 individuals were selected from the residents of urban and rural areas of Bandar Abbas, Bandar Lengeh and Minab. The 28-item version of the General Health Questionnaire was applied as the tool of screening. The data were analyzed using SPSS, version 18.0 for windows., Results: This study indicates that using the traditional scoring method, 28.2% of study population are highly suspicious for psychiatric disorders (35.4% of females and 21.1% of males). The prevalence of probable psychiatric disorders in urban areas (28.9%) was higher than rural areas (26.5%). 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 years, divorced and widowed individuals, illiterate, housewives and unemployed people., Conclusion: The results of this study show that 28.2% of study population (more than a fourth) are suspicious for psychiatric disorders, and the prevalence of these disorders increased from 22.9% in 1999 to 28.2% in 2015. So, health authorities in this province have to do their best for provision, maintenance and improvement of mental health.

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.

Introduction: This research aims to determine the mental health status of population aged 15 and over in the province of Kordestan in 2015., Methods: The statistical population of this cross-sectional field survey consisted of residents of urban and rural areas of Kordestan 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 Sanandaj, Divandareh and Bijar 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: With the traditional scoring method used, 30.4% of the participants (38.1% of women and 22.9% of men) were suspected of having mental disorders. The suspected prevalence of mental disorder was higher in urban (32.5%) than rural areas (25.3%). The suspected prevalence of somatic symptoms and anxiety was greater than the suspected prevalence of social dysfunction and depression, and these disorders were more prevalent in women than men. The findings also showed that the suspected prevalence of mental disorder increased with age. The suspected prevalence of these disorders was higher in women, urban residents, the over 65 age group, the divorced and widowed subjects, the illiterate, the retired and the housewives compared to the other groups., Conclusion: The present findings showed that almost a third of the samples were suspected of mental disorder, and the prevalence of these disorders had increased from 21.8% in 1999 to 30% in 2015. The health authorities of the province should therefore take the necessary measures to protect and treat people with mental disorders and promote mental health in the community.

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.

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.

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.

Introduction: The main objective of this study was to determine the mental health status of population aged 15 and over in the province of East Azarbaijan in 2015., Methods: The statistical population of this cross-sectional field survey consisted of residents of urban and rural areas of East Azarbaijan 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 Tabriz, Sarab and Marand 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 software., Results: Using GHQ traditional scoring method, the results showed that 24.9% of the studied population (29.9% of the women and 20.1% of the men) were considered as likely cases. The prevalence rate of mental disorders was 23.1% for rural and 25.7% for urban areas. Prevalence rates of somatization and anxiety were 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, unemployed and housewives 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 decrease in this province (from 25.2% in 1999 to 24.9% 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.

Introduction: This research aims to determine the mental health status of population aged 15 and over in the province of Kerman in 2015., Methods: The statistical population of this cross-sectional field survey consisted of residents of urban and rural areas of Kerman 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 Kerman, Jiroft and Bam 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 software., Results: Using GHQ traditional scoring method, the results showed that 18.8% of the subjects showed to be at risk of mental disorders (22.9% of females and 14.8% of males). Urban areas (20.2%) were more at risk of mental disorders compared with rural residents (16%). 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 unemployed adults., Conclusion: The results of this study showed that one fifth of the samples were suspected of psychiatric disorders and the prevalence of these disorders has decreased from 22.9% in 1999 to 18.8% in 2015; so, it is on the authorities and health managers of the province to maintain the essential elements for continuity of mental health services to people with mental disorders.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Introduction: This research aims to determine the mental health status of population aged 15 and over in the province of Bushehr in 2015., Methods: The statistical population of this cross-sectional field survey consisted of residents of urban and rural areas of Bushehr province in Iran. Through systematic random cluster sampling, 1200 individuals were selected from the residents of urban and rural areas of Bushehr, Deilam and Borazjan. The 28-item version of the General Health Questionnaire was applied as the screening tool. Data were analyzed using SPSS, version 18.0 for windows., Results: The results of this study showed that using the traditional scoring method, 23.4% of the subjects (29% of females and 14.7% of males) were suspected of mental disorders. The prevalence of suspected psychiatric disorders in rural areas (24.5%) was more than the prevalence of these disorders in urban areas (22.8%). 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 cases of mental disorders increased significantly with age. The prevalence of suspected cases of these disorders was higher among females, the age group of 65 and older, people living in rural areas, divorced and widowed, students and primary and secondary education 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 21.3% in 1999 to 23.4% in 2015. Therefore, it seems necessary for the provincial public health authorities to take the needed steps for providing requirements encompassing prevention and promotion of mental health in this area.

Introduction: The main objective of this study was to determine the mental health status of population aged 15 and over in the province of Fars in 2015., Methods: The statistical population of this cross-sectional field survey consisted of residents of urban and rural areas of Fars in Iran. Through systematic random cluster sampling, 1200 individuals were selected from the residents of urban and rural areas of Shiraz, Jahrom and Kazeroun. 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, 22.5% of the subjects (26.9% of females and 18% of males) were suspected of having mental disorders. The prevalence of suspected psychiatric disorders in urban areas (24.3%) was more than the prevalence of these disorders in rural areas (18.6%). 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 compared to other groups., Conclusion: The results of this study show that more than a fourth of the sample were suspected of mental disorders, and the prevalence of these disorders has decreased from 22.9% in 1999 to 22.5% in 2015. Therefore, it seems necessary for the provincial public health authorities to take the needed steps for providing requirements encompassing prevention and promotion of mental health in this area.

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.

Introduction: This research aims to determine the mental health status of population aged 15 and over in the province of Ilam in 2015., Methods: The statistical population of this cross-sectional field survey consisted of residents of urban and rural areas of Ilam 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 Ilam, Dehloran and Eyvan 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 software., Results: Using GHQ traditional scoring method, the results showed that 32.4% of individuals (37% of females, and 28.1% of males) were likely to have a mental disorder. The prevalence of suspected cases of mental disorders was 33% in urban and 31% in rural areas. The prevalence of mental disorders was higher in females, people living in urban areas, those aged 65 years and above, divorced or widowed, illiterate, and the retired compared to other groups. In addition, the prevalence increased with age. The prevalence of anxiety and somatization symptoms was higher than social dysfunction and depression. Moreover, the prevalence of these symptoms was higher in females than males., Conclusion: Almost one third of the samples were likely to have a mental disorder. Therefore, the provincial authorities and health providers should take essential steps for providing and maintaining mental health services to promote community mental health.

Introduction: This research aims to determine the mental health status of population aged 15 and over in the province of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari in 2015., Methods: The statistical population of this cross-sectional field survey consisted of residents of urban and rural areas of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari 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 Shahre Kord, Farsan and Farrokhshar 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 software., Results: Using GHQ traditional scoring method, the results showed that 24.9% of the subjects were at risk of mental disorders (26.8% of females and 23% of males). Urban areas (27.1%) were more at risk of mental disorders compared with rural residents (19.1%). 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 females, people aged 65 years and above, the divorced and widowed, illiterate and unemployed adults., Conclusion: Our findings suggest that one fourth of the participants are at risk of developing mental disorders. Although the prevalence of these disorders has decreased from 39.1% to 24.9% 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.

Introduction: This research aims to determine the mental health status of population aged 15 and over in the province of Khouzestan in 2015., Methods: The statistical population of this cross-sectional field survey consisted of residents of urban and rural areas of Khouzestan 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 Ahvaz, Imam khomeini Bandar, and Shooshtar 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, 21.8% of the subjects were shown to be at risk of mental disorders (26.2% of females and 23% of males). Urban areas (27.1%) were more at risk of mental disorders compared with rural residents (16.8%). The prevalence of suspected cases of mental disorders in urban areas (25.4%) was higher than rural areas (13.4 %). 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, housewives 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 and the prevalence of these disorders has increased from 21.3% in 1999 to 21.8% 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.

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.

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.

Introduction: This research aims to determine the mental health status of population aged 15 and over in the province of Isfahan in 2015., Methods: The statistical population of this cross-sectional field survey consisted of residents of urban and rural areas of Isfahan in Iran. Through systematic random cluster sampling, 1200 individuals were selected from the residents of urban and rural areas of Isfahan, Kashan and Shahin shahr. 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, 30.6% of the subjects (38.5% of females and 22.5% of males) were suspected of having mental disorders. The prevalence of suspected psychiatric disorders in urban areas (32.1%) was higher than the prevalence of these disorders in rural areas (27%). 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 in women was higher 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 was higher than other groups., Conclusion: The results of this study show that more than one third of the sample are suspected of mental disorders, and the prevalence of these disorders has increased from 21.3% in 1999 to 30.6% 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.

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.

Introduction: The main objective of this study was to determine the mental health status of population aged 15 and over in the province of Ardebil in 2015., Methods: The statistical population of this cross-sectional field survey consisted of residents of urban and rural areas of Ardebil province in Iran. An estimated sample size of 1200 people were chosen using systematic random cluster sampling. Access was provided by the contribution of Geographical Post Office of Ardebil, Pars abad and Germi 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 21.4% of individuals (26.3% of females and 16.5% of males) were suspected of mental disorders. The prevalence of suspected cases of mental disorders was 20.8% in urban and 22.8% in rural areas. The results 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 rural 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 were suspected of 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 Kermanshah in 2015., Methods: The statistical population of this cross-sectional field survey consisted of residents of urban and rural areas of Kermanshah in Iran. An estimated sample size of 1200 people was chosen in three clusters: Kermanshah, Islamabad-e-Gharb, and Sonqor by using the systematic random sampling method. The General Health Questionnaire-28 (GHQ-28) was used as the screening tool for evaluation of status for mental disorders. The traditional method for scoring of GHQ-28 was used in this study. Data analysis was carried out using the SPSS-18 software., Results: Response rate for the study was 97.83%. The results showed that 26.2% of individuals (29.4% of females and 23% of males) were suspected to suffer from mental disorder, in total. The prevalence of being suspected of mental disorders was 28.9% in urban and 19.7% in the rural areas. 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 being suspected of mental disorders increased with aging. Suspicion for these disorders was more common in females, those aged ≥65, people living in urban areas, divorced and widowed, illiterate, housewives and unemployed individuals compared with the other groups., Conclusion: This study showed that more than a quarter of the people in Kermanshah province were suspected to have mental disorders. These findings mandate further attention in the province health policy and program planning for prevention and promotion of mental health.

Introduction: This research aims to determine the mental health status of population aged 15 and over in the province of Hamadan in 2015., Methods: This cross-sectional survey was performed among 1,200 individuals aged 15 years and older, living in urban and rural areas of the three cities of Hamedan, Asadabad, and Malayer. 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. Data was analyzed using the SPSS-18 software., Results: This study showed that using the traditional scoring method, 30.7% of the subjects (31.4% of females and 29.9% of males) were suspected of having mental disorders. The prevalence of suspected psychiatric disorders in urban areas (32.8%) was higher than the prevalence of these disorders in rural areas (25.3%). 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 among women, the age group of 65 and older, people living in urban areas, divorced and widowed, primary and secondary, and unemployed people was higher than other groups., Conclusion: The results of this study show that about one third of the sample are suspected of mental disorders, and the prevalence of these disorders has decreased from 34.7% in 1999 to 30.7% 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.

Introduction: The main objective of this study was to determine the mental health status of population aged 15 and over in the province of Gilan in 2015., Methods: The statistical population of this cross-sectional field survey consisted of residents of urban and rural areas of Fars 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 Rasht, Fouman, and Hashtpar 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 software., Results: Using GHQ traditional scoring method, the results showed that 18% of the studied population (19.3% of the females and 16.6% of the males) were considered as likely cases. The prevalence rate of mental disorders was 18.7% for urban and 17.7% for rural areas. Prevalence rates of somatization and anxiety were 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, and unemployed people., Conclusion: The results of this study showed that about a fifth 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 is on the decrease in this province (from 25.2% in 1999 to 18% 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.

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.

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.

Background: Stigma affects all aspects of mental disorders, and is the most important risk factor for promoting mental health. The aim of this study was to explore strategies effective in reducing the stigma toward people with mental disorders in Iran., Methods: This qualitative study was conducted from 2013 to 2016. All participants were recruited by purposive sampling method. The majority of them were stakeholders of mental health in Iran. Data were collected through eight individual interviews, two focus groups, and six written narratives. The data were collected, coded and analyzed simultaneously. Content analysis was employed to analyze the qualitative interview data., Results: The major themes that emerged were: "Emphasis on education and changing attitudes", "Changing the culture", "Promoting supportive services", "Role of various organizations and institutions", "Integrated reform of structures and policies to improve the performance of custodians", and "Evidence-based actions"., Conclusions: This study did not investigate the extent of stigma or its origins, rather it examines strategies appropriate for implementation in Iran. Additional studies are needed to evaluate the effectiveness of strategies for reducing the stigma attached to patients with mental disorders.

Introduction: According to a WHO report, the world will face great changes in the epidemiology of diseases in next three decades. Infectious and communicable diseases will be replaced by mental disorders at an alarming rate (9), making psychiatric disorders the most common cause of disability and premature death. This study compares trends and changes in the mental health of the residents of Tehran (≥ 15 years old) in 1998 and 2007., Methods: This study was an overview of two cross-sectional, descriptive researches that were performed in 1998 and 2007. The study populations in these two studies were residents of Tehran. Samples were recruited by regular randomized cluster sampling. In both studies, the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28) was used to assess mental health. Trained physicians and health experts completed questionnaires, and data were analyzed by SPSS software (Version 18)., Results: The results showed that 21.5% of participants in the 1998 survey suffered from mental disorders, of which 27.7% were women and 14.9% were men. In 2007, this figure increased to 34.2% (37.9% in woman and 28.6% in men). The prevalence of mental disorders increased from 1998 until 2007 by about 1.6 fold (1.4 fold for women and 1.9 fold for men). In both studies, the risk of mental disorders increased with increasing age. Anxiety symptoms were more prevalent in both studies compared to somatization, depression, and social dysfunction scales., Discussion: The result shows a dramatic increase of mental disorder prevalence in Tehran from 1998 until 2007. We believe there is a lack of sufficient and qualified facilities for mental health provisions in Tehran. Based on these facts, policymakers and officials have to place greater importance in controlling stressful situations that predispose people to mental disorders, with the intent to improve the mental health of Tehran residents.

Background: Mental health is of special importance regarding socioeconomic inequalities in health. On the one hand, mental health status mediates the relationship between economic inequality and health; on the other hand, mental health as an "end state" is affected by social factors and socioeconomic inequality. In spite of this, in examining socioeconomic inequalities in health, mental health has attracted less attention than physical health. As a first attempt in Iran, the objectives of this paper were to measure socioeconomic inequality in mental health, and then to untangle and quantify the contributions of potential determinants of mental health to the measured socioeconomic inequality., Methods: In a cross-sectional observational study, mental health data were taken from an Urban Health Equity Assessment and Response Tool (Urban HEART) survey, conducted on 22 300 Tehran households in 2007 and covering people aged 15 and above. Principal component analysis was used to measure the economic status of households. As a measure of socioeconomic inequality, a concentration index of mental health was applied and decomposed into its determinants., Results: The overall concentration index of mental health in Tehran was -0.0673 (95% CI = -0.070 - -0.057). Decomposition of the concentration index revealed that economic status made the largest contribution (44.7%) to socioeconomic inequality in mental health. Educational status (13.4%), age group (13.1%), district of residence (12.5%) and employment status (6.5%) also proved further important contributors to the inequality., Conclusions: Socioeconomic inequalities exist in mental health status in Iran's capital, Tehran. Since the root of this avoidable inequality is in sectors outside the health system, a holistic mental health policy approach which includes social and economic determinants should be adopted to redress the inequitable distribution of mental health.

This study was performed in order to determine the prevalence and predisposing factors of psychiatric disorders among infertile and fertile women attending Vali-e-Asr Hospital. A total of 150 fertile women from Vali-e-Asr Reproduction Health Research Center and fertile women from the Gynecology Clinic of Imam Khomeini Hospital were chosen by consecutive sampling. Data included demographic information, SCL-90-R, and a semi-structured questionnaire about stress factors. Results showed that 44% of infertile and 28.7% of fertile women had a psychiatric disorder (P < 0.001). Using the SCL-90-R test, the highest mean scores in infertile women were found to be on the paranoid ideation, depression and interpersonal sensitivity scales, and lowest scores were found on the psychoticism and phobic anxiety scales. The interpersonal sensitivity, depression, phobic anxiety, paranoid ideas and psychoticism scales were significantly different between infertile and fertile women (P < 0.05). Infertile women were at higher risk of developing psychiatric disorders if they were housewives rather than working women (P = 0.001). Considering the high prevalence of psychiatric disorders among infertile women, it seems that gynecologists, psychiatrists and psychologists should be more attentive to identify and treat these disorders. The use of psychotherapy, especially supportive methods, should be considered as part of the general therapeutic framework of infertility.

The aim of this study was to investigate the association between mental disorder and back pain among postmenopausal Iranian women. Three thousand six hundred and fifty five postmenopausal women were interviewed in the second National Health Survey (2nd NHS) in the year 2000, in Iran. Of whom, 2953 women were included in this study. Back pain (BKP) was considered as dependent variable and mental disorder as independent variable. Factors like age, Body Mass Index (BMI), residential area, employment, literacy, smoking habit, marital status and spinal fractures were considered as confounders. Logistic regression models have been applied for data analysis. The BKP prevalence was 40.1% and the prevalence of mental disorder was 44.3%. After adjustment for confounders, mental disorder was positively associated with BKP, OR (CI): 1.615 (1.36, 1.91). This study confirmed that BKP and mental disorder are common problems and these two factors are associated amongst postmenopausal women. Further longitudinal studies are recommended to specify casual inferences.

This study is part of broader research aimed to determine the lifetime prevalence and pattern of comorbidity on self-reported suicidal attempts in the general population of Iran. Overall, 25,180 subjects were interviewed, face-to-face, at home; the lifetime prevalence was 1.4% (0.9% males and 2% females). The majority of attempters were 26-55 years of age, married, more highly educated, female, retired, and lived in urban areas. Many of the attempters (45.3%) reported at least one psychiatric disorder during their lifetime; major depressive disorder (22%), panic disorder (6.3%), and obsessive compulsive disorder (6%) was the most common. Because less than half of suicidal attempters reported a psychiatric disorder, the existence of other pathways to suicide may be important foci for prevention. Many of the demographic correlates of suicidal behavior in Iran are very similar to those seen in Western cutlures; however, the sociodemographic factors such as few working women and very low levels of divorce is quite different to that of Western populations.

Background: No national data on the prevalence of mental disorders are available in Iran. Such information may be a prerequisite for efficient national mental health intervention., Aims: To determine the mental health status of a population sample aged 15 years and over., Method: Through random cluster sampling, 35 014 individuals were selected and evaluated using the 28-item version of the General Health Questionnaire. A complementary semi-structured clinical interview was also undertaken to detect learning disability ('mental retardation'), epilepsy and psychosis., Results: About a fifth of the people in the study (25.9% of the women and 14.9% of the men) were detected as likely cases. The prevalence of mental disorders was 21.3% in rural areas and 20.9% in urban areas. Depression and anxiety symptoms were more prevalent than somatisation and social dysfunction. The interview of families by general practitioners revealed that the rates of learning disability, epilepsy and psychosis were 1.4%, 1.2% and 0.6%, respectively. Prevalence increased with age and was higher in the married, widowed, divorced, unemployed and retired people., Conclusions: Prevalence rates are comparable with international studies. There is a wide regional difference in the country, and women are at greater risk.