title: Mental Health Survey of the Iranian Adult Population in 2015.
abstract: 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.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Imam Khomeini Hospital, Psychosomatic Medicine Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Ahmad Ali
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Noorbala
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Statistics and Epidemiology, School of Medicine, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran.
authors.forename: Soghrat
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Faghihzadeh
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, School of Public Health, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran.
authors.forename: Koorosh
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kamali
authors.affiliation: Department of Mental Health, Ministry of Health and Medical Education of Iran, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Seyed Abbas
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Bagheri Yazdi
authors.affiliation: Research Center for Addiction and Risky Behaviors (ReCARB), Psychiatric Department, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Ahmad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hajebi
authors.affiliation: Department of Sociology, University of Welfare, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mir Taher
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Mousavi
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatric Research Center, Roozbeh Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences and Health Services, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Shahin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Akhondzadeh
authors.affiliation: Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Elham
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Faghihzadeh
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Mazandaran, Iran.
authors.forename: Banafshe
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nouri
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004243:Divorce / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D000067010:Literacy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012919:Social Behavior; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014478:Unemployment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017805:Widowhood / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult