Epidemiology of mental health disorders in the citizens of Tehran: a report from Tehran Cohort Study

BACKGROUND: Mental health disorders (MHD) impose a considerable burden on public health systems. With an increasing worldwide trend in urbanization, urban mental health stressors are affecting a larger population. In this study, we evaluated the epidemiology of mental health disorders in the citizens of Tehran using the Tehran Cohort Study (TeCS) data. METHODS: We utilized data from the TeCS recruitment phase. A total of 10,247 permanent residents of Tehran metropolitan (aged 15 years and older) were enrolled in the study from March 2016 to 2019 via systematic random sampling from all 22 districts of Tehran. The participant's demographic, socioeconomic, and medical characteristics were evaluated by conducting comprehensive interviews. The standardized Persian version of the General Health Questionnaire version 28 was utilized to assess the mental status of the patients according to four central mental health disorders. RESULTS: Almost 37.1% of Tehran residents suffered mental health problems (45.0% of women and 28.0% of men). The greatest incidence of MHDs was seen in the 25–34 and over 75 age groups. The most common mental health disorders were depression (43%) and anxiety (40%), followed by somatization (30%) and social dysfunction (8.1%). Mental health disorders were more frequent in the southeast regions of the city. CONCLUSIONS: Tehran residents have a significantly higher rate of mental health disorders compared to nationwide studies, with an estimated 2.7 million citizens requiring mental health care services. Awareness of mental health disorders and identifying vulnerable groups are crucial in developing mental health care programs by public health authorities.