Investigating the mental health of the first- and last-year students of QUMS (2005)

Abstract Background: According to the World Health Organization, mental disorders are among the first ten major causes of disabilities worldwide. These disorders can decrease the success rate of educational progress in students and prevent their further achievements. Objective: The aim of this study was to identify the student’s problems and vulnerable individuals suspicious of developing mental disorder. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study in which the identification of mental disorder among the students of the first- and last year of Qazvin University of Medical Sciences was attempted. The SCL-90-R questionnaire (Symptom Checklist 1990 Revised) was used for data collection. Statistical analysis was performed using χ2, t-test, ANOVA and correlation coefficient. Findings: Out of a total of 607 students, 30.7% were found to be in normal mental health whereas 69.3% suspiciously recognized of having different degrees of mental disorder (53.5% light, 14.3% mild and 1.5% severe). There was a statistical association between the study field and mental health (P=0.042). The percentage of healthy students and those with light, mild and severe mental disorder among the first-year students were 27.1%, 54.5%, 16.9%, and 1.6%, respectively. In the same way, the similar figures among the last-year students were 34.5%, 52.6%, 11.6% and 1.4%, correspondingly. The differences were insignificant, statistically. Conclusion: According to our results, consideration of a policy to reduce the effect of predisposing factors leading to mental disorders is recommended.