Prevalence of Psychiatric Disorders and Associated Factors among the Youth in Ravansar, Iran

Mental disorders contribute significantly to the burden of diseases in Iran. Therefore, the current study aims to assess the prevalence of psychiatric disorders and their associated factors among youth in Kermanshah province of Iran.

The current study is a part of the first phase of Ravansar Cohort (a part of the PERSIAN Youth Cohort) including 2991 participants aged 15 to 34 from Ravansar district in western Iran. Enrollment and data collection for this phase were performed from end April 2015 to early April 2017. The data were gathered using structured interviews and national and international standard questionnaires. Data analysis was carried out using multinomial logistic regression and chi-square test.

The prevalence of any psychiatric disorder among the selected population was 31.3%. Major depressive disorder (MDD) (21.6%), followed by generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) (6.4%) and dysthymia (1.9%) were the most prevalent disorders among the study individuals. The prevalence of alcohol and opioid/stimulant use disorders was 4.6% and 5.1%, respectively. Moreover, there was significant relationship between location of residence (city or village) and marital status with prevalence of the disorders.

Based on the results of the current study, it can be concluded that the prevalence of mental and psychiatric disorders among the youth in Ravansar district, western Iran is relatively high and needs specific plans and interventions to control it