Epidemiology of psychiatric disorders: The situation of Mashhad city during 2010-2016.

Introduction: Psychiatric disorders are gaining top rank in causing the burden of diseases. Certainly understanding the risk factors and their trends can help prevent and control them. This study aimed to investigate the epidemiologic characteristics of psychiatric disorders leading to hospitalization in Mashhad city. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out at the Ibn-e-Sina Psychiatric Hospital in Mashhad, Iran, from March, 21th, 2010 to March 19th, 2016. All of the recorded data for admitted patients during this period have been included. SPSS software version 16 was used for data analysis. Results: In this study, 43770 hospital admissions had occurred which was reduced to 4333 cases after aggregating readmissions. The mean age was 42.2 ± 12.5 years, and the highest prevalence rate was observed in the age group of 50- 59 years (352 in 100000 of the population). Most admitted patients were male (75%, 3234), married (60%, 2523) and unemployed (71%, 2740). The most common admission cause was mood disorders in both genders (51% of females and 37% of males, P<0.001). The prevalence of psychiatric disorders leading to hospitalization was declining during the study period. Conclusion: The decreasing level of the psychiatric hospitalization can imply the proper functioning of the health system. The continuation of existing activities, focusing on mood disorders (as the most common cause of admission) and designing targeted interventions for high-risk groups (married unemployed men) can increase their effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]