JOURNAL OF FUNDAMENTALS OF MENTAL HEALTH
Year:2004 | Volume:5 | Issue:19-20|Papers Count:11

The purpose of this study was to determine epidemiology of psychiatric disorders among the population of the city of Arsanjan (15 years of age and over). 650 individuals (274 males and 376 females), were selected using the random sampling technique. The SCL-90-R was used as a screening tool, and DSM-IV clinical interview checklist was for diagnostic purposes. Test-retest reliability of SCL-90-R was significant; and its sensitivity, specificity was high. Therefore, SCL-90-R is sufficiently reliable to apply as a screening test in epidemiological studies. Results showed that 34% of the individuals (34% females, 33.6% males) met the criteria for psychiatric disorders. Mood and anxiety disorders with 14.46% and 9.53% were the most prevalent psychiatric disorders. Among mood disorders, major depression disorder (MDD) with 7.23%; and among anxiety disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) with 3.53% prevalence was the most common psychiatric disorders. There was no difference between men and women regarding psychiatric disorders prevalence. Analysis of the data indicated a higher prevalence and significant differences of psychiatric disorders in employed women, age range 15-25 years, students, unmarried persons and individuals with high education.

Objectives: The present study was designed to investigate relationship between “Expressed Emotion” and “sexuality” in relatives of patients with psychotic disorders.Method: 125 psychotic patients (63 males, 62 females) were asked to participate in this study. “The Level of Expressed Emotion Scale” was completed by patients. The research data were analyzed by descriptive methods and Chi- square procedure.Results: The findings indicated that there is no meaningful relationship between “sexuality” and “Expressed emotion” .But there is a meaningful relationship between “sexuality” and intrusiveness (a subscale in EE), P<0.10, in mothers. These findings revealed that there is a meaningful relationship between “Expressed emotion” and parents’ education P< 0.001.

Objectives: Adolescence is a critical period of life with cognitive and character changes. Since our society consists mainly of youth and adolescents, the mental health of this group is of special importance.In this study mental health in students of the third year in junior high schools of the city Sari was evaluated.Method: This descriptive- analytic study was performed on 350 randomly selected students of junior high schools of the city of Sari, Iran. All the subjects filled out special questionnaires and SCL–90–R. Results: 42.6% of students had psychiatric symptoms which were found in 67.9% of   girls and 32% of boys. The highest prevalent symptoms were phobias (55.9%), paranoid ideas (47.7%), neurosis (45.7%), sensitivity to interpersonal relationships (45.7%), obsessions (42.3%), depression (41.1%), anxiety (40%), aggression (33,4%), and somatization (26.7%).There was statistical relationship between gender, average school scores, urban or rural habitation, and feeling a need for going to physician or consultation centers. Father’s occupation was only related to somatization and paranoid ideas. There was no statistical relationship between mental health and the number of people in the family, home situation, and parental level of academic education.Conclusion: According to the high rate of the symptoms of mental disorders in school students, special concern is needed toward the issue and preparation of consultation centers in schools seems appropriate. Mental health education for school students may also be of importanc.

Introduction: People experience psychological distress after cardiac events such as acute myocardial infarction. Approximately 65 percent of anxiety symptoms predict poor quality of life; reduce return to work and increase risk of mortality.Therefore patients experiencing anxiety after acute MI should be identified and given targeted psychological interventions.Methods: This research is a quasi experimental and clinical trial study and consists of two group and three stages. The samples include 22 patients with MI before, after, and one month after the intervention.Anxiety was assessed using the Cattle anxiety inventory.The data were analyzed with paired T- test and T- student using SPSS soft ware.Results: The results showed a significant difference between anxiety of groups before, after, and one month after intervention. (P<0.001 (Discussion: Not only group therapy has distinguishable effects on the level of anxiety in patients but also its effects were also even noticed one month after intervention and treatment in MI patients and other patients.

Introduction: Inadequate knowledge about two approaches in research, qualitative and quantitative, can lead to disuse of these methods. Therefore, introducing the different aspects of qualitative and quantitative research can clear up the ambiguity surrounding them and which would play an effective role in applying these methods in research. For these reasons, this study was conducted to compare the features of qualitative and quantitative research in different aspects, especially data analysis in qualitative studies.Methods: This study was carried out by reviewing library and electronic resources. Correspondence with the international research organization also was another way for gathering information.Literature review: Qualitative research like quantitative is a precise method of survey. In the qualitative research information about phenomena are presented in the form of explanation and description. Even though in some cases statistics and numbers are used, the main goal of qualitative research is to develop sensitizing concepts and create theory, while quantitative research tries to test a hypothesis. Data analysis in qualitative research is inductive and in the quantitative research is deductive.Conclusion: Because, qualitative research from point of issue, goals and application, data collection techniques and many other aspects are different from quantitative research, therefore introducing and teach  this approach is recommended for all researchers, especially PhD students and residents.

Introduction: Smoking is a known risk factor for many diseases, and in some studies smoking is the reason for 40 % of deaths.The effect of cigarettes is a known risk factor for TIA in smokers and in many studies demonstrated, but the effect on people in touch with smokers and breathing the smoke of cigarettes (Passive smokers) have not been demonstrated. Because a lot of people in our community are passive smokers we wanted to measure the effect of passive smoking in patients with HTN and stroke.Inspection of the relative amount of passive smoking, smoking in patients with HTN, and stroke and comparison with the relative  amount of passive smoking and smoking in patients who have stroke.The method and questions that have been used: This study is a descriptive study that compare the relative amount of passive smoking and smoking in 192 Persons of case group (patients with HTN and stroke) with relative amount of passive smoking and smoking in 192 persons of control group (patients with HTN and does not have stroke).The control group is persons with HTN in Amin Hospital (The Center for Heart Researches) and case group is persons with HTN and stroke that have been admitted in Al– Zahra Hospital and Noor Hospital in Isfahan. The time of this study is June– July– August 2002.Consequences: This study demonstrated that patients with stroke and HTN (case group). 1.22 as much patient’s with HTN (control group) are passive smokers and (case group) 1.33 as much (control group) are smokers.Discussion: As a result passive smoking does not increase the risk of stroke as much as smoking, but passive smoking is an important risk factor for stroke

Objectives: 1% of world population is afflicted by schizophrenia and its destructive consequences. Both genetic and environmental factors are supposed to have a causative role. Genetic mutations occur under environmental influences or spontaneously. The second process occurs more frequently in the gametes of older men. So increased age of father is an important risk factor for genetic mutations.Method: To study this relation, we compared paternal age of schizophrenic patients with healthy subjects and other non-schizophrenic psychotic patients. Study group included 465 persons (155 in each group) diagnosed according to DSM-IV diagnostic criteria, in Ebn- e- Sina Psychiatric Hospital during a 4 month period.Findings: Average paternal age in schizophrenic, non-schizophrenic psychotic patients and healthy volunteers were: 33, 31.5 and 30 accordingly. Average maternal age was 27.6, 27.7 and 27.0 accordingly.Paternal age of schizophrenic patients was significantly higher than the other two groups (and so about paternal age higher than 40).In the previous studies both parental ages were reported to be important, but in our study there were no similar findings. Another interesting finding was a similar relation between paternal age and psychotic mood disorder in children.Results: There is an important relation between age of father and risk of schizophrenia in his children.

Background: The results of some findings show that at a certain time in the 15-20% of adults suffer markedly from some symptoms of depression, and atleast 12% of them attend for medical treatment. In this research depression means major depressive disorder according to DSM IV criteria. The main aim was comparison of different depression dimension intensity between men and women; and the second aim was determination of out standing depression dimensions in men and in women.Method: This is a cross-sectional and prospective study on 60 patients in two groups (30 of each sex) among the people who came to Psychology Clinic of Educational Science College, in the first six months of year 2003.They were chosen by availability, first by clinical interview depressed cases were chosen, and then Beck depression inventory (BDI) was applied. Finding: Among 21 dimensions of BDI five dimensions as feeling sinful, feeling punished, crying, weight loss and decreased libido were more intensive in women.Dramatic manifestations of depression in women were: sadness, decreased decision, feeling tired, difficulty in doing things and feeling punished; but in men thay were: sadness, decreased decision, self accusation, anger and difficulty in doing things.Conclusion: Intensity of some depression dimensions has sense difference between men and women. This can help us in prevention, diagnosis and treatment of depression.