Prevalence of Mental Disorders among Middle-Aged Population of Primary Healthcare Centers in Northeastern Iran

Abstract

Background Primary healthcare centers (PHCs) are the most accessible medical services in society. PHCs are responsible for screening, detecting, and treating health issues in people. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of psychiatric disorders in middle-aged individuals who refer to PHCs and the potential of PHCs in diagnosing mental disorders. Methods This cross-sectional study was implemented at PHCs under the supervision of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences (MUMS) in northeast Iran. The enrolled subjects were middle-aged adults who had electronic medical records in SINA, an integrated health management system, and the electronic medical records of MUMS. The prevalence of psychiatric disorders by type and their relationship with demographic information was evaluated using a Chi-square test. Results This study involved 218,341 middle-aged participants. Prevalence of psychiatric disorders was 8.3%, and depression and anxiety were the most common psychiatric disorders. The prevalence of mental illnesses was significantly higher in women compared to men (10.1% vs 3.8%), those aged 46 to 60 compared to 30–45 years old (10.2% vs. 6.4%), and in rural residents compared to urban residents (11.5% vs. 6.5%). Conclusions Considering the previous studies in Iran, the prevalence of mental disorders among patients presenting to PHCs was noticeably lower than expected rates. It seems probable that this huge difference is due to poor screening and detection of mental illness in PHCs of MUMS. It is recommended that health policymakers pursue specific measures to make PHCs more helpful for people with mental health problems in the community.