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The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence rate of mental disorders among people aged 15 and over. After a pilot study for estimating the sample size, 625 subjects were selected by random cluster sampling from family information files in Sowmaesara health centre office. In this study, GHQ-28 was used as a screening tool, and DSM-III-R Clinical interview Checklist for diagnostic interview. The results showed that 23.84% (30.84% females and 15.8% males) had mental disorder. Mood (12.16%) and anxiety (7.52%) disorders were the most prevalent ones. This results also revealed that major depression (6.24%) was the most prevalent disorder in among mood disorders. And generalized anxiety disorder (5.12%) was the most prevalent one among anxiety disorders.

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This article reports the results of an epidemiology of mental disorders among adults above 15 years in urben areas of Kashan city. Data were gathered using General Health Questionnaire (28- Items version) and clinical interview based on DSM-IV. Results showed the total prevalence of mental disorders, were about 23.75%. More prevalent were mood disorder, (%11.75). anxiety disorder, (%11.15) and general anxiety disorder (%8.08). Prevalence of adjustment disorder and psychosomatic disorder were %1.62 and %0.97. Results showed significant relationship between age, sex, education, marital status, ocupational status, familial history of mental disorders and rate of mental illness. Retest validity of GHQ-28 was significant at 0.001 level and its sensitivity was high. Therefore, GHQ-28 is sufficient reliable to apply as a screening test in episeniological studies.

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For the purpose of studying the effects of pathological and normal grief on the prevalence of mental disorders among adolescents. 164 intermediate and highschool students were administered a grief inventory and a questionnarire assessing mental disorders. Among the study group 83 students had experienced the death of one of their family members (mostly fathers), and 81 did not have such experience.

Results indicated that : 1) The students who has experienced grief scored higher than other students, on measures of PTSD, obsessional thoughts, and motor tics. 2) The scores of students who has experienced pathological grief were higher than the scores of students who has experienced normal grief on PTSD, obsesional thoughts, motor tics, and general anxiety disorder. 3) The subjects whose parents had died in an accident, scored higher than those whose parents ahd died as a result of an illness, on oppositional disorder and disobediance. 4) the scores of subjects who has lost their parents between the ages 2-7, were higher than the scores of subjects who has lost their parents when they wre older, on ADHD, 5) the girsl who had experienced grief has higher scores on specific phobias, and social anxiety where as boys with similar experiences showed higher scores on ADHD, conduct disorder, and vocal tics.

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This study was to investigate the most important stressors and causes of job dissatisfaction in employees if an industrial setting. 230 full-time workers and employees were selelcted through random sampling. A questionnaire that included five categories of stressors (permanent and transient factors related to the type of job and the work environme nt, accident producing factors, relationship problems at work and welfare and nutritional facilities). Was used for evaluating them.

Findings indicated that the most important stressors for all empoyees were heumanisitic problems and relationship problem at work. Accident produced factors, permanent factors, dissatisfaction with welfare and nutritional facilities, and the factors that related to the nature of work were other important stressors at lower level. The totla mean of the stress level for different groups was 2.02 (SD=0.88). Employees reported higher level of stress than workers.

 

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There has been a great deal of reseacrh on the epidemiologic indicators and correlates of attempted suicide in different countries. However, the number of local researches in Iran has been scanty. In a cross sectional study, during a one year period, from June 22, 1991 to June 21, 1992, all consecutive referrals for suicide attempt to three centers which covered all referrals due to self poisoning. Attempts by burining and traumatic methods, were interviewd. An overall 561 patients were interviewed. Data analysis was done uxing X² for trend and fisher exact for. Data indicated that our cases were younger than the reference population. Females were overrepresented 1.5 times as men (P<0.001), unemployment and low education were correlated as well. The most common method was self poisoning especially by medications (predominantly by Diazepam) self cutting and burning ranking next. Death occurred in 30 persons (5.3%) and addicts had the highest mortality. The least number of suicides (P<0.001) but also the most fatal ones (P<0.001) occurred in autimn. As the lowest figers belonged to December our study doesn't support the western view that the reported December through is related to Christmas and the possibility of a chronobiologic contribution is suggested. Meanwhile, our data suggests that future preventive programmes should be directed toward the youth as the target group.

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Short-term visual retrieving processes were investigated in three groups, of schizophernics (n=10), right hemisphere brain damaged (n=10) and a normal grou (n=10) . All of subjects were men and right handed. The study utilized WAIS (verbal subtests), meaningless Syllabuses, Retrieve and Recall tests and Non-verbal Patternes Retrieve and Recall Tests. Data were analyzed by three factor repeated mesure. Results showed a makor retrieval dysfunction in schizophernics and a significant relationship between poor performance on nonverbal tests and right hemisphere brain damage. On the other hand, the normal group significantly performed bettwe than the other two gropus on both verbal and von verbal retrieving tests.

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Continuous care team has a significant role in the treatment of chronic psychiatric patients and hence mental health services. This article retrospectively studied 55 patients of continuous care system at the Shahid Esmaily Psychiatric Center. Results showed that compared to three years before intervention, during three years post intervention relapse rates, days of hospitalization (90%) and costs of care (85%) had significantly decreased, and job status (60%) had significantly improved. Many studies in Iran and in other countries has shown the efficacy of continuous care team providing mental health services. Since inpatient care provides only one-fifth of country's needs, these findings emphasize the necessity of continuous care team in the mental health system

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The purpose of this study was to investigate disability and medical leave due to psychiatric disorders in patients referred to comission for psychiatric and neurological consultation of 682 patients who had been referred to the comission during 1993-94. Results showed that psychiatric disorders and mood disorders led to occupational disability and medical leave at a significantly higher rate than neurological disorders. 56.9% of disabilities and 83.5% of medical leave were due to psychiatric disorders. 43.1 % of disabled and 16.5% of medical leave were due to neurological disorders. 32.3% of disabled patients were unskilled worker and 28.3% of those on medical leave were skilled workers. The average age of disability was 46 which lost 14 years service (1974 years). The mean age and years of service in the group on medical leave were significantly less than the disabled group but the extent of their leave was equal to the disabled group (5.2 months versus 5.5 respectively). This difference was not statistically significant, especially considering that the number of clients on medical leave were 4 times more than disabled clients. If the lost days of service is divided to the number of clients in each group, on the average, those on medical leave and those on disability had lost 64.3 and 23.3 work days respectively.

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  Objectives : The present study was designed to investigate the prevalence of conduct disorder and disruptive behavior disorder in a group of secondary school students in 1999, Method: A group of 2760 secondary school students (924 males and 1836 females) were selected through stratified random sampling. A Persian Version of Children Symptoms Inventory-4th ed. (CSI-4) and a self made questionnaire for demographic variables were used. The data were analyzed through X² and descriptive statistical methods. Results: The results showed that the rate of conduct disorder and disruptive behavior prevalence among the sample group were 6,3% and 6.9% respectively, Satisfactory sensitivity of the CSI-4 questions were also found for predicting conduct disorder (85%) and disruptive behavior disorder (80%). This study indicated that there is a significant correlation (P

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  Objectives : in order to remove the difficulties of learning the verses of Holy Quran and facilitate, the relevant data were examined in the course of the present research, taking advantage of optimization of means of such learning. It should be noted that encoding such data (i.e. the verses) takes place in the phonological cycle and their retrieval takes place by triggering the implicit memory. Method: 120 school-boys, aged 15-16, were divided into an experimental group learned and memorized 21 selected verses, using modern learning methods. The subjects in the control group learned and memorized the same verses through traditional approaches. Two written tests were administered to assess the subjects' retrieval. After the administration of the first written test, the subjects were classified into three groups: weak, average and excellent. Findings: after a Chi square test was administered, the results of the first and the second written tests demonstrated a significant difference. Further, the results of the first and the second written tests obtained from the multiple-Sentence Logistic Regression Test, demonstrated that the subjects who were classified as "weak" in the initial assessment, had the chance to improve and move to the higher class. This chance was respectively 88 and 67 times greater among the ones who received modern instructions as compared to the ones who were taught by traditional approaches.

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Abstract

Objectives:The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of cognitive-behavioral group therapy in reducing the level of depression and anxiety in patients with mood disorder.

Method:14 patients diagnosed with mood disorder were selected randomly from the psychiatric ward of Noor Hospital in Isfahan as the subjects of the research.They were assigned into a control and an experimental group. Prior to the treatment intervention, subjects were assessed by Beck’s Dep-ression Inventory and Zung’s Anxiety Index. Both the control and experimental groups remained on medication throughout the study, but only the subjects in the experimental group were exposed to 10 sessions of cognitive-behavioral group therapy. The subjects in the control group received no intervene- tions. Upon completion of the intervention, both groups were assessed once again by the aforemen-tioned tests. Data were analyzed and interpreted by dependent and independent t-tests.

Findings: Cognitive-behavioral group therapy significantly reduced depression in patients diagnosed with mood disorder, but this method did not have a substantial impact on reducing the patients’ anxiety.

Results:Cognitive-behavioral group therapy may be effective in reducing depression in patients diag- nosed with mood disorder.

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Abstract

Objectives: The present project studied epidemiology of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) and its relation to psychiatric difficulties in female nurses. These nurses were employed at educational hos- pitals under the auspices of Tehran and Ahvaz�Universities of Medical Sciences.

Method:The project’s subjects were 1263 nurses175 of them were selected through census sampling from the city of Ahvaz and 1088 were selected from Tehran via stratified random sampling.To collect data, the followings were used: General Health Questionnaire (GHQ), Chalder of Fatigue Scale (COFS), Krupp Fatigue Severity Scale (KFSS), Whitely Index (WI), and clinical interviews.

Findings: This evaluation showed that the prevalence of CFS was 7.3% in all nurses under study. The prevalence was 3.4% and 7.9% in nurses from Universities of Ahvaz and Tehran respectively. Furthermore,the prevalence of the syndrome was 7.9% in married nurses and 6.5% in nurses who were single.There was a significant correlation between fatigue and hypochondriasis, somatic com- plaints, anxiety and sleep disturbances, social dysfunction and depression.

Results: The nurses employed at Universities of Tehran and Ahvaz lack suitable mental health con- dition.

 

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Abstract

Objectives: This study assessed the rate of alcohol use in hospitalized patients at a general hospital in Iran.

Methods: In a cross-sectional descriptive study, 571 patients from 11 wards of Hazrat-e-Rasoul�Hospital were evaluated by a demographic questionnaire. The Pediatrics, Emergency, ICU, and CCU wards were excluded from the study. The sampling was implemented through the nonran-domized convenient method.

Findings: The rate of current alcohol use was 9.6% (8.9% in males and 0.7% in females) in all 25.4% of the patients  (22.8% in males and 2.6% in females) reported to alcohol use in their life-time. The highest rates of current alcohol use were observed in the orthopedic ward (25.3%), the 15-29 years old age group (47.3%), and the patients with education under high school diplomas (56.4%). The rate of current alcohol use was 54.5% in married patients while in single, divorced, or widows, the rate was 45.5%. The weekly alcohol consumption was the most frequently reported pattern of current use (34.5%).

Results: There is a considerable prevalence of alcohol use among the patients in a general hospital. Attending to its impact on presentation and treatment of various diseases is essential. 

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Abstract

Objectives: This project evaluated the prevalence of opioid use in hospitalized patients of a general hospital in Iran.

Method: In this cross-sectional study, 494 patients hospitalized at 12 wards of Rasoul-e-Akram Hospital were evaluated. They were selected through convenient sampling method. The pediatric, emergency, ICU, and CCU wards were excluded from this study. The instrument for collection of data was a researcher-constructed questionnaire. Data were analyzed via descriptive- statistical methods and c².

Findings: The lifetime prevalence of opium use was 11.7% (10.9% male 0.8% female)  and the pre- valence of current opium use was 7.1%. The highest frequency of opioid use was observed in the patients in neurosurgery ward (23.8%), in the age group of 30 to 44 years old range (13.7%), and with high school education (14.8%). 12.1% married, 10.8% single, and 7.7% divorced patients reported to have used opioid. The most common pattern of opioid use was daily (48.3%) and the most common method of use was through inhalation (63. 8%).

Results: Opioid use is pervasive in hospitalized patients at the general hospital further research is indispensable in this regard. 

 

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Abstract

Objectives: The aim of this qualitative project was to ascertain the adolescents’ perspectives re-garding health and addiction.

Method: 41 adolescents from Tehran (22 males, 19 females) between 11 and 19 years of age were evaluated by way of open and semi-structured interviews. These subjects were selected by sampl-ing based on the project objectives. The interviews with the subjects were tape-recorded, then trans- cribed, and finally content analyzed.

Findings: 87% of subjects under the study claimed friendships and connections with cohorts and 15% declared family as the reasons for the prevalence of addiction. Other reasons of the adole-scents were being relieved of problems and being carefree, feeling superior and powerful, compensat- ing for social restrictions, unemployment and lack of recreations, oppositional tendencies, and curiosity.

Results: Considering adolescents as builders of the future and also pervasiveness of addiction problem, attaining information is indispensable regarding the perspectives of this vulnerable group vis-à-vis the relation between the concept of health with  addiction. This can be useful in cultural, health, and social program planning as well as need and priority assessments.

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 Abstract

Introduction: The California Psychological Inventory was developed for assessing personality characteristics of a normal population. This instrument has been standardized in different count- ries and has been used to assess academic success, managerial skills, creativity, maladjust-ment, antisocial behavior, and vulnerability to situational stress. The aim of this study was to standardize this questionnaire for the Iranian population.

Method: This study was of standardization type. After translation into Farsi and back trans-lation, the final form was prepared and administered to 1008 subjects (911 males, 97 females) who were selected via random stratified sampling procedure from the sites of a government department in nine provinces. The mean age of the subjects was 40.7 (S.D. 7.7) Cronbach’s alpha procedure and test-retest method was used to assess the reliability, and factor analysis was utilized to determine the validity of the questionnaire.

Results: The alpha coefficients for the questionnaire ranged from 0.30 for the F/M scale to 0.83 for the V3 scale with a median of 0.60. The overall alpha coefficient for the whole ques-tionnaire was 0.95. The Pearson correlation coefficient for the test-retest on 50 subjects after two weeks ranged from 0.47 for communality to 0.85 for independence scales. The factor analysis revealed three factors which were named Control, Extroversion, and Flexibility.

Conclusion: The Persian version of the California Psychological Inventory has acceptable reli- ability and validity for the Iranian sample.

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Abstract

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship of stress and hopelessness in students residing in dormitories of Tehran�University.

Method:  The subjects of this descriptive cross-sectional study consisted of 551 students (246 females, 305 males) who were selected by random-cluster sampling and were assessed with Stress Assessment Questionnaire and Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS).  The results were analyzed using�c² test, ANOVA, regression analysis, and correlation coefficient.

Results: This study showed that the relationship of the five variables of stress factors and the variable of hopelessness is significant (p<0.05). Also, a positive correlation was found between the entire stressful prob- lems and factors during the period of education and the level of hope-lessness in graduate students.

Conclusion: Levels of stress may have a direct relationship with level of hopelessness in students.

 

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Abstract

Objectives: The aim of this study was to explore coping with breast cancer in Iranian women.

Method: In this qualitative study, 19 patients with breast cancer were interviewed about their coping with receiving the diagnosis of their illness. The interviews were analyzed through content thematic method.

Results: The main themes obtained in this study include coping with the disease using a religious approach (acceptance of the disease as God’s willing, seeking spiritual help), thinking about the disease (positive think- ing: hope, positive suggestion, curability of the disease, intentional forget- fulness negative thinking: hopelessness, fear, impaired mental image), accepting the fact of disease (active acceptance: fighting the disease, patience passive acceptance), social and cultural factors effective for coping (reactions of society to the disease, presence of same groups) and support of loved ones.

Conclusion: Most strategies for coping with breast cancer in newly diagnosed women is positive and based on fighting with the disease and not to give in. Religious beliefs play a major role.

 

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Abstract

Objectives: Neuropsychological dysfunction in major depressive disorder may be associated with the suicide risk in these patients. In this study, neuropsychological functions in patients with major depre-ssion and at least one prior suicide attempt, in patients with major depre-ssion and no history of suicide attempt, and healthy controls were compared.

Method: In this causal or ex post facto study, fifteen patients with non-psychotic major depressive disorder and at least one prior suicide attempt, fifteen patients with non-psychotic major depressive disorder who had no history of suicide attempts, and fifteen normal subjects were compared with one another based on their neuropsychological function. Subjects were selected upon their availability. Groups were matched for age, sex, and education. Using Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), Stroop Color-Word Test (SC-WT), Revised Wechsler Memory Scale (WMS-R), and Beck’s Depression Inventory (BDI), 4 domains: executive functions, selective attention, visual memory, and verbal memory were assessed. Statistical tests of multi-variable analysis of variance, Tukey test, and co-variance analysis method were applied in data analysis.

Results: Non-psychotic major depressive patients with history of suicide attempt performed significantly worse than the other two groups on WCST (p<0.001) and SC-WT (p<0.001).

Conclusion: Executive function and selective attention is more impaired in the first group than the second one. Impairments of per-formance in the executive function and selective attention in major depressive patients with prior suicide attempt are more extensive than what previously observed in major depressive disorder without suicide attempt. Neuropsychological impairments in major depressive disorder may be a risk factor for suicide attempts.

 

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Objectives: This study aims at the evaluation of validity and reli-ability of Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) in psy-chiatry and among the residents.

Method: Following assessments and a lot of discussions among all consultant psychiatrists in the country, nine 12-minute stations were designed. In each station, two examining raters completed the pre-viously designed checklists individually. Standardized patients were used in 8 of the stations. Face and content validity, construct validity, concurrent validity and inter-rater reliability, internal consistency and inter-station reliability were all assessed.

Results: Face and content validity of the test was reached after holding sessions with the presence of the consultants and chair of the country’s specialty board and also providing all practical goals while discussing them in different group meetings. Concurrent validity was evaluated after comparing OSCE scores for both the residents and their own consultants. Concurrent validity was assessed through evalu- ating correlation of OSCE scores with results of oral and written board exams, competency exams, and psychiatry entry exam, which actually showed an appropriate validity for this test. Assessment of test reliability using the inter-rater reliability, internal consistency, and inter-station reliability displayed an appropriate reliability for this OSCE.

Conclusion: The first psychiatry OSCE had significant validity and reliability.