Prevalence of Psychiatric Disorders in Patients Referring to a Psychiatric Clinic in Lorestan Province, West of Iran

Background: Psychiatric disorders are common and impose a huge burden globally. The study aimed to examine the prevalence of psychiatric disorders in patients referring to a psychiatric clinic in Lorestan. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of psychiatric disorders in patients referring to a psychiatric clinic in Lorestan province Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with all people aged 18 years or older. Participants were selected by a convenience sampling method. Diagnostic interviews based on DSM-5 were held for 750 patients who were administered between January and June 2018. The collected data were analyzed by SPSS version 22 using absolute frequency, relative frequency, mean, and chi-square test. Results: Women included 53% of the study sample. The most prevalent psychiatric disorders were anxiety (35.3%) and mood disorders (31.5%). Depression was the most prevalent mood disorder (63.6%), followed by generalized anxiety disorder (60%). The prevalence of psychiatric disorders was higher in people aged 21-30 (28.5%), the illiterate or primary education group (52.4%), housekeepers (29.5%), and married ones (51.8%). Conclusions: The majority of the patients referring to the psychiatric clinic suffered from mood and anxiety disorders. Therefore, public health authorities of the province need to take steps to warrant necessary measures, including mental health promotion policies, to improve the mental health status and prevent anxiety and mood disorders.