Prevalence of Depression and the Related Demographic and Socioeconomic Factors in the Post-COVID Era: A Population-Based Study in Iran

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Objectives Several studies have examined the prevalence of depression in Iran, mainly before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. There is a lack of information regarding the rate of depression in the post-covid era. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the prevalence of depression among people aged ≥15 years in Iran and find the associated demographic and socio-economic factors in the post-COVID era. Methods This is a descriptive-analytical population-based study that was conducted from February to April 2023 on 2,892 Iranian people ≥15 years, who were selected using proportional stratified sampling method. The patient health questionnaire (PHQ-2) was administered through telephone interviews. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent t-tests, and multiple logistic regression analysis in SPSS software , version 21 and R software. Results The mean age of respondents was 43.6 years (42.6 for women and 44.7 for men). In total, 42.1% of the respondents had major depressive disorder (39.6% males and 44.6% females with mean scores of 2.25±1.83 and 2.52±1.71, respectively). Based on the results of multiple regression analysis, age 25-40 (OR=1.39, 95% CI: 0.99-1.96), being single (OR=1.51, 95% CI: 1.15-1.98), being widowed/widower (OR=1.50, 95% CI: 1.06-2.12), being divorced (OR=1.67, 95% CI: 1.07-2.62), and unemployment (OR=1.50, 95% CI: 1.09-2.05) were associated with a greater likelihood of depression, while having an academic education (OR=0.65, 95% CI: 0.50-0.84) and being a homeowner (OR=0.74, 95% CI: 0.62-0.88) were associated with a lower likelihood. The results showed no significant association between depression prevalence and the factors of place of residence (urban/rural), gender, or income level. Conclusion There is a relatively high prevalence of depression in the post-COVID era in Iran. Some demographic and socio-economic factors play a significant role in the prevalence of depression, which underscores the importance of considering a wide range of factors influencing depression in mental health policy-making and interventions for Iranian people.