Survey of ۱۵ Years and Older Women`s Mental Health Status in Urban Population of Gorgan

Background and objective:­ In accordance with­ general studies, the prevalence of psychological disorders is increasing worldwide in that it is the cause of one percent of mortality  rate in the world esp. Iran. Because of susceptibility of women to psychological disorders and fewer studies in this field, this study aimed at evaluating ­mental health status of over- fifteen- year- old women in urban population of Gorgan, Iran. Material and Methods: In this study, ۱۰۸۸ women aged over ۱۵ were selected by randomized cluster sampling. The data was collected by demographic data sheet and General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-۲۸), and analyzed by Chi Square and Fisher Exact test.   Results: Based on our findings, the prevalence of psychiatric disorders is ۱۷.۵%.­ ­Based on cut-off score of ۶ for each of the four disorders, Anxiety disorder and insomnia are with the highest prevalence (۵.۵%) and depression is with the lowest (۳.۱%). The Prevalence of disorders has positive significant relationship with variables like age,­ ­marital status and family history of addiction.Conclusion: The prevalence of present study is average compared to similar reports. Nevertheless it is a necessity to have further attention to the mental health of women and it is essential to train efficient workforce and provide appropriate facilities in order to give mental health services to both rural and urban population.