Mental Health Status (Depression, Anxiety and Stress) of Employed and Unemployed Women in Yazd, Iran, 2015

摘要

Background: Women are one of the sensitive groups that in comparison to men are at higher risk of mental disorders. Women's mental health has a close relation with family and community health. This study was performed to determine the mental health status (depression, anxiety and stress) of employed women and housewives in Yazd City in 2015. Methods: This cross - sectional study was conducted on 120 employed women and 120 housewives visiting health centers in Yazd in 2014. Data were collected through random sampling and by using a questionnaire including demographic information and the DASS-21 questionnaire. Data analysis was performed through SPSS16 software and using t-test and ANOVA. Results: The mean scores of depression and anxiety were significantly lower in employed compared to unemployed women (P0.001). Among employed women, those in the private sectors had the highest stress and anxiety and workers had the highest depression. Furthermore, physical activity and educational level showed significant inverse correlations with mean scores of depression, anxiety and stress. In terms of marital status, divorced women had the highest rates of depression and anxiety and single women had the highest stress. Conclusion: Results of this study showed higher levels of depression and anxiety in unemployed compared to employed women. Effective interventions for reducing depression and anxiety in housewives are suggested.