Abstract
Background: Providing a wide range of caring support and
mental health services for women is one of the most important factors for promoting family and
community stability and sustainability.
Mental disorders
especially among women impose more constrains on not only individuals but also
community. This gender with different roles as a wife, mother, or
care giver is more vulnerable to mental disorders. This study  explored Â
mental health status and its related factors among women referred to
health centers of Kermanshah City in 2010.
Methods: In
this cross-sectional and descriptive study, 350 women have been
selected using random cluster sampling in 15 health centers of the city in
September to December 2010. Standard
questionnaire of General Health (GHQ-28) and a demographic questionnaire were
applied for collecting data. Data was entered in SPSS-14 and analyzed by Chi square Tests.
Results: The results revealed 48.3 percent of the women
were suspected to have mental disorders. The prevalence of disorders according
to four proposed dimensions of the GHQ-28 questionnaire, physical symptoms,
anxiety, social functioning and depression, was 40.6,  42.9, 32.3 and 44.9 percent respectively. Significant
association between age (p=0.004), marital status (p=0.01), spouse's education
and occupation (p=0.02) and (p=0.03), economic status (p=0.02), age of marriage
(p=0.001), unwanted pregnancy (p=0.001), and history of mental illness
(p=0.002), with mental health was explored by Chi square tests.
Conclusions: Reported
high prevalence of mental disorders among women in this study urges not only the
necessity of more health authorities' attention to mental health among
women, but
also recommend more wider and detailed studies in different parts of the
country to explore  mental health
determinants among women for early detection and timely treatment.
Key words: Mental Health, woman, General Health Questionnaire, health care
center.
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