Background and Objective: Numerous studies have examined the prevalence of depression, primarily focusing on the past years and the peak period of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, as time has passed and conditions have returned to relative stability, there is a lack of information regarding the current state of mental health in the community. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the prevalence of depression and the associated demographic and socio-economic factors among individuals aged 15 and older in the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Materials and Methods: This population-based study was performed on 2,892 individuals aged 15 and older using proportional stratified sampling in Iran between February and March 2023. The PHQ-2 was administered through telephone interviews. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent t-tests, and multiple logistic regression at a 95% confidence level through SPSS 21 and R software.
Results: The mean age of respondents was 43.6 years (42.6 for women and 44.7 for men). In total, 42.1% of all respondents (39.6% of men and 44.6% of women) had scores in the pathological range based on the PHQ-2, with average scores of 2.25±1.83 and 2.52±1.71, respectively. Additionally, based on the results of multiple logistic regression, being young (OR=1.39, 95% CI 0.99-1.96), single (OR=1.51, 95% CI 1.15-1.98), widowed (OR=1.50, 95% CI 1.06-2.12), divorced (OR=1.67, 95% CI 1.07-2.62), and unemployed (OR=1.50, 95% CI 1.09-2.05) were associated with a greater likelihood of depression, while having an academic education (OR=0.65, 95% CI 0.50-0.84) and being a homeowner (OR=0.74, 95% CI 0.62-0.88) were associated with a lower likelihood.
Conclusion: The results of this study indicate a relatively high prevalence of depression in post-COVID-19 Iran. Furthermore, this study confirmed that demographic and socio-economic factors play a significant role in the prevalence of depression. Young adults (ages 25 to 40), unemployed, single, divorced, or widowed individuals are at a higher risk of developing depression, while having a university education and homeownership are considered protective factors against depression. The observed differences in depression rates between men and women, after accounting for the impact of other variables, suggest that women's social roles, rather than gender itself, maybe the primary cause of the disparity in depression rates. Additionally, the results showed no significant difference in depression prevalence between urban and rural residents, and higher income, due to higher education or homeownership, was associated with a lower risk of depression. These findings underscore the importance of considering a wide range of factors influencing depression in mental health policy-making and interventions.