Decomposing socioeconomic inequality in poor mental health among Iranian adult population: results from the PERSIAN cohort study

Background Socioeconomic inequality in mental health in Iran is poorly understood. This study aimed to assess socioeconomic inequality in poor mental health among Iranian adults. Methods The study used the baseline data of PERSIAN cohort study including 131,813 participants from 17 geographically distinct areas of Iran. The Erreygers Concentration index (E) was used to quantify the socioeconomic inequalities in poor mental health. Moreover, we decomposed the E to identify factors contributing to the observed socioeconomic inequality in poor mental health in Iran. Results The estimated E for poor mental health was - 0.012 (95% CI: - 0.0144, - 0.0089), indicating slightly higher concentration of mental health problem among socioeconomically disadvantaged adults in Iran. Socioeconomic inequality in poor mental health was mainly explained by gender (19.93%) and age (12.70%). Region, SES itself, and physical activity were other important factors that contributed to the concentration of poor mental health among adults with low socioeconomic status. Conclusion There exists nearly equitable distribution in poor mental health among Iranian adults, but with important variations by gender, SES, and geography. These results suggested that interventional programs in Iran should focus on should focus more on socioeconomically disadvantaged people as a whole, with particular attention to the needs of women and those living in more socially disadvantaged regions. Keywords:Mental health; Socioeconomic inequality; Concentration index; Decompositio

Prevalence and Correlates of Psychiatric Disorders in a National Survey of Iranian Children and Adolescents

Objective: Considering the impact of rapid sociocultural, political, and economical changes on societies and families, population-based surveys of mental disorders in different communities are needed to describe the magnitude of mental health problems and their disabling effects at the individual, familial, and societal levels. Method: A population-based cross sectional survey (IRCAP project) of 30 532 children and adolescents between 6 and 18 years was conducted in all provinces of Iran using a multistage cluster sampling method. Data were collected by 250 clinical psychologists trained to use the validated Persian version of the semi-structured diagnostic interview Kiddie-Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia-PL (K-SADS-PL). Results: In this national epidemiological survey, 6209 out of 30 532 (22.31%) were diagnosed with at least one psychiatric disorder. The anxiety disorders (14.13%) and behavioral disorders (8.3%) had the highest prevalence, while eating disorders (0.13%) and psychotic symptoms (0.26%) had the lowest. The prevalence of psychiatric disorders was significantly lower in girls (OR = 0.85; 95% CI: 0.80-0.90), in those living in the rural area (OR = 0.80; 95% CI: 0.73-0.87), in those aged 15-18 years (OR = 0.92; 95% CI: 0.86-0.99), as well as that was significantly higher in those who had a parent suffering from mental disorders (OR = 1.96; 95% CI: 1.63-2.36 for mother and OR = 1.33; 95% CI: 1.07-1.66 for father) or physical illness (OR = 1.26; 95% CI: 1.17-1.35 for mother and OR = 1.19; 95% CI: 1.10-1.28 for father). Conclusion: About one fifth of Iranian children and adolescents suffer from at least one psychiatric disorder. Therefore, we should give a greater priority to promoting mental health and public health, provide more accessible services and trainings, and reduce barriers to accessing existing services

The impact of cognitive behavioral therapy on self-esteem and quality of life of hospitalized amputee elderly patients

Background: No study is available on the effect of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) on self-esteem and quality of life (QOL) of amputee elderly patients. Objectives: This study aimed to examine the effects of CBT on self-esteem and QOL of hospitalized amputee elderly patients. Methods: A randomized controlled trial was carried out on a sample of 64 amputee elderly patients. The subjects were selected consecutively and then were randomly assigned into either the experimental or the control groups (32 patients in each group). The data collection instrument consisted of a demographic data form, the Rosenberg self-esteem scale, and the short form of the World Health Organization QOL Questionnaire (WHOQOL). Patients in the intervention group participated in six sessions of CBT and the control group received routine care. At the start and after the 3rd week, all patients answered the Rosenberg self-esteem scale and the WHOQOL-short form. Descriptive statistics, Chi-square, Fisher's exact, and t- tests were used to analyze the data. Results: No significant differences were found between the intervention and the control groups regarding their baseline mean scores of self-esteem and QOL. The observed changes in the QOL and self-esteem of the control group were not statistically significant. However, significant statistical differences were observed between all mean differences in the two groups that indicate the positive effect of the intervention. Conclusion: The CBT employed in the present study could significantly improve the self-esteem and QOL in amputee elderly patients. The same protocol is suggested to be added into the rehabilitation process for amputee elderly patients

Prevalence, comorbidity and predictors of anxiety disorders among children and adolescents

Childhood anxiety may lead to serious health consequences in later life. The present study provides the prevalence, comorbidity, and predictors of anxiety disorders among children and adolescents. This was a cross-sectional national project that was implemented on 28,698 children and adolescents in Iran. Participants entered the study by multistage cluster sampling with an equal number of each gender and three age groups (6-9, 10-14, and 15-18 years) within each cluster. The tools used in this research were the demographic questionnaire and K-SADS-PL. To analyze the data logistic regression and chi-square tests were used in SPSS (ver. 16). The prevalence of anxiety disorder in children and adolescents was 13.2 in boys and 15.1 in girls. Furthermore, gender, age, place of residence and history of psychiatric hospitalization of parents could predict anxiety disorders. Anxiety disorders had comorbidity with behavioral disorders, neurodevelopmental disorders, mood disorders, psychotic disorders, substance abuse disorders, and elimination disorders. According to our findings in this study, anxiety disorders affect the performance, health and life of children and adolescents, identifying the childhood anxiety, as well as finding diseases that are associated with anxiety disorders, can help in the prevention of the disorder. Keywords: Anxiety disorder; Children and adolescents; Comorbidity; Predictors; Prevalence

Correction: Decomposing socioeconomic inequality in poor mental health among Iranian adult population: results from the PERSIAN cohort study

Following the publication of the original article [1], the authors would like to correct the code of the study in the ethics approval and consent to participate statement. The incorrect code of the study is: IR.KUMS.REC.1397.187 The correct code of the study is: IR.KUMS.REC.1397.866 The original articl