Investigating Psychological Distress and Its Relationship With Some Demographic Characteristics in Adults Referring to Urmia's Comprehensive Urban Health Service Centers in 2024

Background & Aim: Psychological distress refers to the general concept of maladaptive psychological functioning in response to specific stressful life events that can cause permanent or temporary harm to the individual. Determining psychological distress in individuals allows for early diagnosis of mental problems. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine psychological distress and its relationship with some demographic characteristics in adults referring to Urmia's comprehensive urban health service centers in 2024. Materials & Methods: In this descriptive cross-sectional-correlational study, 350 adults referring to Urmia's comprehensive urban health service centers who met the inclusion criteria were selected through multistage sampling and data were collected using Kessler's demographic characteristics and psychological distress questionnaires. For descriptive results, central tendency and frequency indices (percentages) were used, and for analytical results, a t-test, one-way analysis of variance, and linear regression were used to examine the relationship between variables and make prediction. Results: Based on the results of this study, the average total psychological distress score among participants was 11.19 out of 40. Psychological distress among participants had statistically significant differences in terms of demographic variables such as gender, employment status, income status, marital status, and history of psychiatric medication use. Also, employment status, housing status, and marital status were able to predict psychological distress and explained 67 percent of the psychological distress score. Discussion: Given the higher level of psychological distress in the studied women, unemployed individuals, individuals with lower income levels, and divorced individuals, it is recommended that health policymakers develop plans to improve psychological status and prevent the occurrence of serious mental disorders in these groups.