Version Of General Health Questionnaire Research Articles

Sleep Deprivation, Mental Health, and Anxiety of Chittagong University Students

Proper quality and quantity of sleep is an inevitable part for better cognitive and overall performance of students. Previous research shows that sleep deprivation affects both physical and mental state of the students. In this context, no literature is available in the perspective of Bangladesh. The main focus of this research was to obtain a deeper insight of the negative effects of sleep deprivation on mental health and anxiety of Chittagong University students. Purposively selected and readily available 200 respondents constituted the sample of the study. An adapted Bengali version of General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) (Sorcar and Rahman, 1989) and the Anxiety Scale developed by Deeba and Begum (2004) were used for data collection. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent sample t-test and Pearson Product Moment Correlation. It was found that sleep deprivation has significant adverse effect on both mental health (f=9.51, df=198, p<0.01) and anxiety (f=l0.00, df=198, p<0.01). Sleep deprived students showed significantly lower mental health and significantly greater anxiety than sleep non-deprived students. Sleep duration was found positively correlated with mental health. Anxiety was found negatively correlated with sleep duration and mental health. Effective interventions against sleep deprivation are necessary to improve students' anxiety and mental health status. The Chittagong Univ. J. B. Sci. 8(1&2). 135-146, 2013

Dimensionality of the Swahili version of the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) in a Kenyan population: A confirmatory factor analysis.

The current study evaluated the Kiswahili version of General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) in a Kenyan context comprising of women exposed to gender-based violence. Participants were randomly drawn from community sampling using household screening methods in peri-urban areas in Nairobi. A total of 1,394 participants with varying levels of literacy (years of education: mean [M] = 9.42; standard deviation [SD] = 3.73) and aged between 18 and 89 years were recruited for the study. The observed factor structure of the GHQ-12 was evaluated using six most tested models querying the dimensionality of the instrument insofar as the impacts of positive and negative wording effects in driving multidimensionality. Results from the confirmatory factor analysis supported a bifactor model, consisting of a general distress factor and two separate factors representing common variance due to the positive and negative wording of items. Overall, the findings support the use of the Kiswahili version of the GHQ-12 as a unidimensional construct with method-specific variance owing to wording effects. Importantly, GHQ-12 responses from a sample of Kenyan women with relatively low levels of literacy are congruent with the factor structure observed in other cross-cultural settings in low- and-middle-income countries.

Evaluation of Mental Health Status of the Pregnant Women Working in Hospitals During Covid-19 Era: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Many of women and pregnant women are front-line health care workers in the COVID-19 era and are worried about the possible impacts of COVID-19 on their fetus. Due to the pressure and high working load on the healthcare workers during the COVID-19 crisis, the healthcare workers were potentially at risk of different types of mental health disorders. Objective: We aimed to evaluate the correlation between mental health status and the level of COVID-19 related anxiety in pregnant healthcare workers in the COVID-19 era in Iran from August 2020 to December 2020. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 64 pregnant clinical residents, general physicians, nurses and other medical staff who worked in the hospitals in Iran, from August 2020 to December 2020 using an anonymous online survey available on Google Form platform. The online survey consisted of socio-demographic questions, pregnancy-related questions, and questions about medical/drug history. The Persian versions of General Health Questionnaire – 28 [GHQ-28], and Corona Disease Anxiety Scale [CDAS] were also filled by the participants. Results: The mean age and gestational age of the participants were 31.3±3.9 years, and 24.5±10.1 weeks respectively. Psychological problems were moderate [total score GHQ-28> 40] in 9.4% [n: 6] of the pregnant healthcare workers. The frequency of moderate/severe problems in the four subclasses, including somatic symptoms, anxiety/insomnia, social dysfunction, and depression were 9[14.1%], 25[39.0%], 7[10.9%], and 10[15.6%], respectively. According to CDAS, 26.5% of participants had moderate to severe COVID-19 related anxiety. COVID-19 related anxiety and its subclasses, physical and psychological, were significantly correlated with GHQ-28 total score and its subclasses, including somatic symptoms, anxiety/insomnia, social dysfunction, and depression among pregnant health care workers [P<0.01]. Conclusion: According to the results of the current study, over 25% of the pregnant health care workers have moderate to severe COVID-19 related anxiety; so, it is crucial for policymakers to focus on the mental health of the pregnant health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Epidemiology of mental health disorders in the citizens of Tehran: a report from Tehran Cohort Study

BackgroundMental health disorders (MHD) impose a considerable burden on public health systems. With an increasing worldwide trend in urbanization, urban mental health stressors are affecting a larger population. In this study, we evaluated the epidemiology of mental health disorders in the citizens of Tehran using the Tehran Cohort Study (TeCS) data.MethodsWe utilized data from the TeCS recruitment phase. A total of 10,247 permanent residents of Tehran metropolitan (aged 15 years and older) were enrolled in the study from March 2016 to 2019 via systematic random sampling from all 22 districts of Tehran. The participant's demographic, socioeconomic, and medical characteristics were evaluated by conducting comprehensive interviews. The standardized Persian version of the General Health Questionnaire version 28 was utilized to assess the mental status of the patients according to four central mental health disorders.ResultsAlmost 37.1% of Tehran residents suffered mental health problems (45.0% of women and 28.0% of men). The greatest incidence of MHDs was seen in the 25–34 and over 75 age groups. The most common mental health disorders were depression (43%) and anxiety (40%), followed by somatization (30%) and social dysfunction (8.1%). Mental health disorders were more frequent in the southeast regions of the city.ConclusionsTehran residents have a significantly higher rate of mental health disorders compared to nationwide studies, with an estimated 2.7 million citizens requiring mental health care services. Awareness of mental health disorders and identifying vulnerable groups are crucial in developing mental health care programs by public health authorities.

Long-term psychological distress trajectories and the COVID-19 pandemic in three British birth cohorts: A multi-cohort study.

Growing evidence suggests that population mental health outcomes have worsened since the pandemic started. The extent that these changes have altered common age-related trends in psychological distress, where distress typically rises until midlife and then falls after midlife in both sexes, is unknown. We aimed to analyse whether long-term pre-pandemic psychological distress trajectories were disrupted during the pandemic, and whether these changes have been different across cohorts and by sex. We used data from three nationally representative birth cohorts comprising all people born in Great Britain in a single week of 1946 (National Survey of Health and Development, NSHD), 1958 (National Child Development Study, NCDS), or 1970 (British Cohort Study, BCS70). The follow-up data used spanned 39 years in NSHD (1982 to 2021), 40 years in NCDS (1981 to 2001), and 25 years in BCS70 (1996 to 2021). We used psychological distress factor scores, as measured by validated self-reported questionnaires (NSHD: Present State Examination, Psychiatric Symptoms Frequency, and 28- and 12-item versions of General Health Questionnaire; NCDS and BCS70: Malaise Inventory; all: 2-item versions of Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale and Patient Health Questionnaire). We used a multilevel growth curve modelling approach to model the trajectories of distress across cohorts and sexes and obtained estimates of the differences between the distress levels observed during the pandemic and those observed at the most recent pre-pandemic assessment and at the peak in the cohort-specific pre-pandemic distress trajectory, located at midlife. We further analysed whether pre-existing cohort and sex inequalities had changed with the pandemic onset using a difference-in-differences (DiD) approach. The analytic sample included 16,389 participants. By September/October 2020, distress levels had reached or exceeded the levels of the peak in the pre-pandemic life-course trajectories, with larger increases in younger cohorts (standardised mean differences [SMD] and 95% confidence intervals of SMDNSHD,pre-peak = -0.02 [-0.07, 0.04], SMDNCDS,pre-peak = 0.05 [0.02, 0.07], and SMDBCS70,pre-peak = 0.09 [0.07, 0.12] for the 1946, 1958, and 1970 birth cohorts, respectively). Increases in distress were larger among women than men, widening pre-existing sex inequalities (DiD and 95% confidence intervals of DiDNSHD,sex,pre-peak = 0.17 [0.06, 0.28], DiDNCDS,sex,pre-peak = 0.11 [0.07, 0.16], and DiDBCS70,sex,pre-peak = 0.11 [0.05, 0.16] when comparing sex inequalities in the pre-pandemic peak in midlife to those observed by September/October 2020). As expected in cohort designs, our study suffered from high proportions of attrition with respect to the original samples. Although we used non-response weights to restore sample representativeness to the target populations (those born in the United Kingdom in 1946, 1958, and 1970, alive and residing in the UK), results may not be generalisable to other sections within the UK population (e.g., migrants and ethnic minority groups) and countries different than the UK. Pre-existing long-term psychological distress trajectories of adults born between 1946 and 1970 were disrupted during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly among women, who reached the highest levels ever recorded in up to 40 years of follow-up data. This may impact future trends of morbidity, disability, and mortality due to common mental health problems.

Impaired emotional intelligence is related to symptoms severity and suicidal attempts in depression.

Few studies demonstrated the impairment of perceived emotional intelligence 'EI' among depressed patients. This study aimed to assess the perceived EI in a group of depressed patients, and its association with different clinical characteristics. Forty-five patients diagnosed with depression were assessed by the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale and compared to 45 controls that were assessed by the Arabic version of General Health Questionnaire to exclude Psychiatric disorders. The Arabic version of Trait Meta-Mood Scale (TMMS) is used to evaluate EI in both groups. Patients with depression showed significantly lower EI scores in the three parts of TMMS (repair, clarity and attention) compared to the controls (p < .001). Patients showed significant difference in clarity subscale (p = .005) and attention regarding severity of depression (p < .001). Clarity of feelings was significantly higher in patients who suffered more than two episodes (p = .012). Depressive patients with suicidal attempts showed significantly lower scores of repair (p = .044) and attention (p = .016) subscales. There were no significant differences of TMMS subscales between patients with and without suicidal ideation, sleep disturbance and somatic symptoms. The current study demonstrates impaired perceived EI among patients with depression that is correlated with symptom severity and suicidal attempts.

The effect of female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) on girls/women’s mental health: a case–control study in Kurdistan Region of Iraq

Female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) is a violation of human rights and is associated with a range of health effects and consequences. It is common in Kurdistan region of Iraq. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the effect of female genital mutilation/cutting on girls and women's mental health in Iraqi Kurdistan. The present case-control study was carried out on 145 girls and women with FGM/C and 145 girls and women without FGM/C in the city of Halabja, in the east of Iraqi Kurdistan, in 2020. Mental health status of the participants was measured using the 28-item version of General Health Questionnaire. Chi-square test was used in order to compare mental health and its dimensions in both groups. The multivariate logistic model with odds ratio was applied to determine the relationship of independent variables with the outcome variable (mental health status). In total, almost 72% (n = 104) of girls and women with FGM/C and 56% (n = 81) of girls and women without FGM/C presented the symptoms of mental health disorders and this difference was statistically significant (P-value = 0.005). Also, the prevalence of depression and somatic disorders among girls and women with FGM/C was higher than among girls and women without FGM/C and this difference was significant (P-value < 0.05). Based on the results of multivariate logistic regression, the variables of having a history of FGM/C (AOR = 2.14, 95% CI: 1.29-3.54), and being in an age group of 30-40years (AOR = 2.01, 95% CI: 1.07-3.76) had a significant effect on presenting the symptoms of mental problems. A significant percentage of women and girls with a history of FGM/C had symptoms of mental disorders. FGM/C was a risk factor for a higher chance of presenting symptoms of mental disorders. We need to try to reduce and eradicate FGM/C by educating the public about the health consequences of FGM/C and enacting restrictive laws and monitoring proper implementation of them.

The association between overweight/obesity and psychological distress: A population based cross-sectional study in Saudi Arabia.

ObjectivesThe objective of this study was to compare the association between mental well-being between obese (classes 1 and 2), over-weight and non-obese population-based individualsMethodsA population-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia. A total of 1019 Saudi nationals aged ≥ 18 years participated in the survey. BMI scores were used to categorize participants into three groups: Obese, overweighted and non-obese/non-overweight. Mental well-being was evaluated by using the validated Arabic version of the General Health Questionnaire version 12 (GHQ-12).ResultsWe used total GHQ score (Mean=12; SD=5.23) to compare mental well-being between the four BMI class categories. The overall one-way ANOVA model was statistically significant (F = 7.018, d = 6, P < 0.001). In multivariate analysis, after adjusting for sociodemographic variables, diabetes and smoking statuses we found that higher psychological distress (as evident by a higher total GHQ score) was associated with higher BMI. The unstandardized Beta regression coefficient = 2.627; P = 0.034). Females were more likely to have higher psychological distress than males (unstandardized Beta = 1.466, P = 0.003). Job status whether being unemployed or ‘civilian’ (civil worker) was significantly associated with higher psychological distress (unstandardized Beta = 1.405, P = 0.041). Being diabetic has a 1.6 times higher risk of psychological distress (unstandardized Beta = 1.604, P = 0.027).ConclusionThe study highlights the public health implications of psychological distress amongst individuals with overweight and obesity in Saudi Arabia. Future longitudinal studies should explore the temporality of this relationship.

Psychological Distress Experienced by Women with Primary Infertility in Pakistan: Role of Psycho-Social and Cultural Factors

This study aims to examine the predictive role of psycho-social factors in psychological distress among women with primary infertility and to explore the nature of mental pressures faced by these women. A sample of 200 women with primary infertility was recruited from various infertility clinics in Rawalpindi and Islamabad. A demographic sheet, Urdu versions of General Health Questionnaire, Couple’s Satisfaction Index-4 (CSI-4) a Self-Report Questionnaire (SCQ) were used to assess psychological distress, marital satisfaction, personal and other family members’ desire for child, available social support, and nature of mental pressures faced by women. About 82% of these women reported distress. The standard multiple regression analysis showed that low marital satisfaction (β =-0.716; p&lt;0.001); woman’s non-work status (β =0.183; p&lt;.001) and high personal desire to have child (β =0.136; p=0.006) were significant predictors. Low social support from mother-in-law (β = 0.286; p&lt;0.001) and high personal (β = -0.188; p&lt;.01) and husband’s desire to have child (β = -0.288; p&lt;.001) influenced marital satisfaction. Besides factors such as criticism, loneliness, inquiries made by other people, fear of husband’s second marriage, quarrelsome in-laws were reported as stressors. Women with primary infertility are at increased risk to experience psychological distress attributable to several social and cultural factors.

Physical and Mental Health Level of the Elderly Living in Central Greece.

Introduction:Elderly population is growing fast in the western world due to a reduction in birth rates and a marked increase in life expectancy with multiple co-morbidity that warrants greater attention by health care workers.Aim:The purpose of the study is to investigate the levels of physical and mental health of elderly people living in Central Greece.Methods:A cross-sectional study design was adopted with self completed questionnaires. Data collected, included socio-demographic and general health information using the Greek version of General Health Questionnaire 28. Kolmogorov-Smirnov test and regularity diagrams were employed.Results:The sample included 230 elderly people with an average age of 73.1 years, women (53.5%), married (75.7%), with children (100%), primary school graduates (47.8%), residing in a city (72.2%), retired (90.9%), living with a spouse (68.3%), worked previously (96%) and 37.4% with a present monthly income of 301-600€. In the General Health Questionnaire, the internal consistency factor Cronbach’s alpha for ‘physical depressive symptoms’ was 0.85, for ‘anxiety and insomnia’ 0.86, for ‘social dysfunction’ 0.86 and for ‘depressive sentiment’ 0.89, which indicates an excellent reliability of the questionnaire. The ‘social malfunction’ sub-scale showed the highest score (8.9) then ‘anxiety and insomnia’ (6.9) followed by ‘physical symptoms of depression’ (6.2) and ‘depressive sentiment’ (3.4). For the ‘anxiety and insomnia’ sub-scale, marital status shows another important correlation: unmarried elderly people had higher levels of stress. A lower educational level was associated with higher levels of anxiety and insomnia. Marital status appears to affect the manifestation of depressive symptoms as widows, singles and divorced showed a higher mean rate of depression than married people.Table 1.Demographical characteristics of the elderly. α mean, β standard deviationDemographicsN%Gender Men10746,5Women12353,5Age 73,1α6,3βMarital statusSingle83,5Married17475,7Divorced 114,8Widowers3716,1Children 12310213056,535523,94219,1510,4Educational levelNone31,3Primary (partial)135,7Primary11047,8Secondary6628,7Tertiary3816,5Place of residenceCity16672,2Town2611,3Village3816,5Pension Public servant5925,7Farmer6126,5Labor6126,5Free lance worker167Other125,2None219,1Residence Living alone4318,7Living with spouse 15768,3Living with children3013OccupationLabor7030,4Non-labor8336,1Farmer3816,5Housework 3414,8None53,2Monthly income (€)0-3002310301-6008637,4601-10006729,1>10005423,5Table 2.Descriptive results of the GHQ-28 sub-scales. Sub-scaleMeanStandard deviation MedianPhysical Depressive symptoms [0-21]6,24,45Anxiety and Insomnia [0-21]6,94,66Social dysfunction [0-21]8,94,08Depressive feelings [0-21]3,44,31Overall scores [0-84]25,313,923Conclusions:Various demographic as well as bio-psycho-social factors affecting health and particularly mental health are distributed unevenly between older men and women and between older people living in urban and rural areas. Therefore as our findings show, special care and priority should be granted to those who are single or widowed or divorced as they seem to be at greatest risk for overall declining mental health.

Sociodemographic and Clinical Variables of Depression among Patients with Epilepsy in a Neuropsychiatric Hospital in Nigeria.

Background Depression is a major contributor to the global burden of disease. Its occurrence in patients living with epilepsy is not just common but also a serious comorbidity. Patients tend to suffer if the depressive disorder is undetected and thus untreated. The aim of this study is to estimate the prevalence of depressive disorder in patients with epilepsy. Also, the sociodemographic and clinical factors that are associated with the development of depression in people living with epilepsy were examined. Materials and Method. This was a descriptive cross-sectional study of participants living with epilepsy and receiving care at the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Sokoto, Nigeria. Participants were recruited consecutively as they come for follow-up care. A sociodemographic/clinical questionnaire and General Health Questionnaire version 28 (GHQ-28) were first administered to participants followed by the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI). The descriptive statistics were generated and analyzed. Logistic regression was also done to determine the predictors of depression in the study participants. All test of probability was set at p < 0.05. Results A total of 400 participants with epilepsy were examined with GHQ-28 and CIDI. Out of the GHQ-28 examined individuals, 71 people (17.8%) met criteria for caseness while 35 participants (8.8%) were depressed when assessed with CIDI. The predictors of depressive illness in participants living with epilepsy were GHQ caseness (p < 0.05. p < 0.05. p < 0.05. Conclusion Depression is common in people with epilepsy. Physicians should actively assess individuals with epilepsy for symptoms of depression. Special attention should be paid to patients with a family history of epilepsy and those from minority ethnic groups.

Sleep quality among Chinese elderly people: A population-based study

Little was known about sleep quality among Chinese population. Using data from a population-based survey, we aimed to describe the prevalence of poor sleep quality among Chinese elderly people, to analyze factors associated with poor sleep quality, and to explore the relation between sleep quality and life quality as well as the risk for mental disorders. Data was derived from the Tianjin Mental Health Survey. The 19-item Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index was used to assess sleep quality. Life quality was evaluated using a Chinese version of Quality of Life Scale. To investigate the risk for mental disorders, the Chinese version of General Health Questionnaire was administered. Female gender, older age, low educational attainment, poor subject family economic status, and not having health insurance were significantly associated with elevated risk of poor sleep quality. Poor sleep quality was associated with poor life quality and increased odds of mental disorders. Further studies are warranted for the evaluation of effectiveness of screening tools for sleep problems and the generalization of early screening and diagnosing programs in the nation. Early screening is necessary and appropriate intervention programs should be conducted in the population with high risk.

Prevalence and predictors of psychological distress among primary healthcare service users in Mansoura district, Egypt.

The current study is a health facility-based cross-sectional study that aims to measure the prevalence of psychological distress and to determine its associated factors among primary healthcare (PHC) service users in Mansoura district, Egypt. The study included service users aged ≥18years. A predesigned structured interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect data from participants during the period from January 2018 to November 2018. The questionnaire included four sections; sociodemographic characteristics, recent history of stressful life events, history of relevant health conditions and a validated Arabic version of General Health Questionnaire, that was used to screen for psychological distress. The total calculated sample size was 573. Data was analysed using SPSS V. 16. Results indicated that the prevalence of psychological distress among PHC service users was 72.2% (95% CI: 68.6%-75.9%). Being a female, non-working, or married increased the risk of high psychological distress [OR (95%CI): 1.6 (1.2-2.4), 1.8(1.2-2.8) and 1.7 (1.1-2.8) respectively], but these factors were insignificant in multiple regression. Exposure to domestic violence (DV) and being current smokers were the only independent significant predictors of psychological distress [adjusted OR (95%CI): 3.8 (1.7-8.1) and 0.7 (0.4-0.9) respectively]. Findings indicate that psychological distress is common among PHC service users. Exposure to DV significantly predicts psychological distress, while smoking is associated with lower stress. Screening of PHC service users for mental health problems should be integrated within the PHC system.

Mental Health Status in Relation to Happiness and Depression

The purposes of the present study are twofold : (i) Investigating the relationship between happiness and mental health; (ii) and finding the relationship between depression and mental health. The data was collected from 120 students who were purposively selected from different universities. The instruments used in this study were personal information questionnaire, Bangla version of General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) of Goldberg (1972), Bangla version of Happiness questionnaire (Hills &amp; Argle, 2002), Bangla version of Depression Scale (Uddin &amp; Rahman, 2005). The result showed that there is a significant positive correlation between happiness and mental health, and negative correlation between depression and mental health.

Reliability and Validity of the Kurdish version of General Health Questionnaire (K-GHQ)

General Health Questionnaire has been used for screening of mental health in many countries but, the valid and reliable Kurdish version of this questionnaire is not available. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the validity and reliability of the Kurdish GHQ-28. The sample consists of 156 students selected by multistage cluster sampling among the students of Garmian University in 2018-19 academic years. First, the GHQ successfully translated into Kurdish and back translated into English by independent professional bilingual translators. After investigating and approving the validity and reliability of this version in a small group of 50 students from the research population, the final version was prepared for data collection. The result of investigating reliability using the test-retest (0.88), split-half (0.89) and Cronbach’s alpha (0.82), showed that the K-GHQ has adequate reliability.The validity was evaluated using the concurrent reliability of K-GHQ and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Results showed that the correlation coefficient was significant (r=0.77, p<0.01). Also, the correlations between the global score with subscales of K-GHQ were all statistically significant (r=0.51-0.88, p < 0.01). It was concluded that the Kurdish version of General Health Questionnaire is a valid and reliable tool for screening mental Health in Kurdish communities.

The Predictive Value of Personality Traits for Psychological Problems (Stress, Anxiety and Depression): Results from a Large Population Based Study

The current study aimed to determine the prognostic values of personality traits for common psychological problems in a large sample of Iranian adult. In a large sample of healthy people (n = 4763) who lived in Isfahan province; the NEO-FFI was used to assess the personality traits; depression and anxiety were assessed using the “Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS)” also stress was measured through Persian validated version of General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12). Receiver Operating Characteristics Curve (ROC) analysis was used as main statistical method for data analysis. ROC analysis showed neuroticism was the best predictor for all psychological problems with highest area under the curve (AUC) (95% confdence interval) for stress, 0.837 (0.837–0.851), anxiety 0.861 (0.847–0.876) and depression 0.833 (0.820–0.846) (p < .001) and the corresponding cut-off points (sensitivity, specificity), were 21.5 (77%, 66%), 22.5 (81%, 77%) and 20.5 (77%, 74%), respectively. Other personality traits were significant protective factors for being affected with psychological problems (p < .001). Similar findings were observed separately in women and men. The present study showed that the neuroticism is significant risk factor for being affected with three psychological problems while other traits are significant protective factors. Personality traits are useful indices for screening psychological problems and an effective pathway toward prevention in general population.

Breakfast consumption in relation to lowered risk of psychological disorders among Iranian adults.

This study aims to find whether breakfast consumption is associated with human mental health. This cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate the association between breakfast consumption and psychological disorders, including depression and anxiety, among Iranian adults. This cross-sectional study was conducted on 4378 general public adults in Isfahan, Iran. Breakfast consumption was assessed using a validated detailed dietary habits' questionnaire. Depression and anxiety were screened using an Iranian validated Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale questionnaire. Psychological distress was examined by means of Iranian validated version of General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12 items). Depression, anxiety, and psychological distress were defined based on standard criteria. Overall, 13.95% (n=611) of study participants had anxiety, 28.62% (n=1253) were depressive, and 23.18% (n=1015) had psychological distress. After controlling for potential confounding variables, participants with every day breakfast consumption had lower odds for depression (odds ratio [OR]: 0.49, 95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 0.36-0.66) compared with those with the least frequent intake of breakfast, even after further adjustment for body mass index [BMI] (OR: 0.47, 95% CI: 0.34-0.63). Frequent breakfast consumption was inversely associated with anxiety before (OR: 0.53, 95% CI: 0.37-0.76, P<0.001) and after controlling for BMI (OR: 0.52, 95% CI: 0.36-0.75, P<0.001). The same findings were obtained for psychological distress (OR: 0.46, 95% CI: 0.33-0.62, P<0.001). We found an inverse association between breakfast consumption and depression, anxiety, and psychological distress among Iranian adults. Further prospective studies are needed to confirm these findings.

Egg consumption and prevalence of psychological disorders in adults

No previous study has examined the associations between egg consumption and prevalence of psychological disorders. The present study was conducted to determine the association between egg consumption and depression in a large sample of Iranian adults. This cross-sectional study was conducted on 3172 adults in Isfahan, Iran. Egg consumption was assessed by using a validated, self-administered, dish-based, semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. The Iranian validated version of Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale was used to screen for anxiety and depression. The Iranian validated version of General Health Questionnaire with 12 items was used to assess psychological distress. Depression, anxiety and psychological distress were defined according to standard criteria. The mean age of the study participants was 36.5 ± 7.9years. Depression, anxiety and psychological distress were prevalent among 28.4, 13.6 and 23% of the study subjects, respectively. After controlling for potential confounders, no significant association was observed between egg intake and depression (OR for comparing extreme quartiles: 1.08; 95% CIs 0.80-1.45) and anxiety (OR 0.79; 95% CIs 0.54-1.16), as well as psychological distress (OR 1.03; 95% CIs 0.76-1.41) in the whole population. In men, significant positive associations were observed between egg intake and depression before controlling for BMI (OR 1.68; 95% CIs 1.01-2.80); however, the associations became non-significant after taking BMI into account (OR 1.62; 95% CIs 0.96-2.72). We found no significant association between egg intake and psychological disorders. Further studies, in particular of prospective design, are warranted.

Living arrangements and social support as predictors of mental health and life satisfaction of older adults

The aim of the present study was to investigate whether living arrangement and social support are significant predictors of mental health and life satisfaction among older adults. Data were collected by using convenience sampling technique from 300 older adults (100 living in old home and 200 living in their own home with spouse or children) of Dhaka and Gazipur districts. The instruments used for collecting data were: (1) Demographic and personal information questionnaire, (2) Bangla version of Social Support Scale, (3) Bangla version of General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) and (4) Bangla version of Satisfaction with life scale. The results of the current study indicated that the type of living arrangement has the most influence towards mental health (29.05%) and life satisfaction (30.91%) than social support. Older adults who live in own home have higher life satisfaction (M = 25.86) and less mental health problems (M = 32.55) than those living in old home (M = 17.78) and (M = 39.80). The result also revealed that older people living in old homes have higher social support (M = 51.73) than those who are living with children, spouses or other family relatives (M = 48.02)).&#x0D; Dhaka Univ. J. Biol. Sci. 27(1): 17-25, 2018 (January)

Association between Physical Activity, General Health and Burden of Dementia Caregivers

Most caregivers do not engage in physical activity programs despite evidence that physical exercise improves general health and relieves symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress. The aim of the study is a) to investigate the amount of physical activity of caregivers in everyday life, b) to examine the reasons of limited participation in physical activities and c) to find out if limited participation in physical activity affects their general health. Fifty three (n=53) caregivers (59.04±12.76 yrs) were recruited by a Dementia Day Care Center. A caregiver questionnaire was designed to obtain information on basic demographics, living habits and current care details (hours of care, etc). The Greek version of PASE questionnaire was used to measure the amount of physical activity undertaken by caregivers. Caregiver burden was assessed via the Greek version of the validated Zarit burden interview and general health was investigated via the Greek version of General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28). All data were analyzed by using SPSS, version 22. The majority of caregivers are daughters or wives. The current sample had a PASE mean score of 168.0±87.46. Differences in PASE score were found between occupational status (F=6.210, p=0.001) and living arrangements (F=3.882, p=0.05). No differences were found in PASE score between different levels of burden (F=1.058, p=0.376). PASE score was not related to GHQ28 scores. High correlations were found between ZBI and GHQ28 total (r=0.71, p=0.001) and ZBI and GHQ28 four subscales (somatic: r=0.62, p=0.001, anxiety-insomnia: r=0.66, p=0.001, social dysfunction: r=0.54, p=0.002, severe depression: r=0.44, p=0.003). ZBI was also correlated with years of care (r=0.38, p=0.004) and hours of care/day (r=0.40, p=0.003). The most frequent barriers to physical activity cited by caregivers were their living arrangements and their occupational status. In addition, burden was not cited as a significant barrier.