National Centre for Mental Health Promotion, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Food and Drug Authority, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Front Public Health. 2023 Jun 27;11:1213851. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1213851. eCollection 2023.
Mental health disorders, such as major depressive disorder (MDD) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), represent a significant public health concern in Saudi Arabia. This study aims to provide a recent mental health screening prevalence, including anxiety and depression screening in the general public and to explore the associated risk factors.
A cross-sectional study was conducted, employing a phone interview survey with 6,015 participants, using a quota sampling strategy to ensure equal representation of both sexes and administrative regions. The study assessed the prevalence of MDD and GAD risk and examined demographic, socioeconomic, and lifestyle factors associated with these mental health disorders.
The national prevalence of people at risk of MDD and GAD were found to be 12.7 and 12.4%, respectively. Low diagnosis and treatment rates were observed, with only 1.5 and 0.5% of participants currently diagnosed and treated for depression and anxiety, respectively. Risk factors for MDD and GAD included female sex, lower education and income levels, smoking, and waterpipe use. Protective factors included physical activity, participation in volunteering activities and the practice of daily hobbies in the last 30 days.
The relatively high prevalence of MDD and GAD risk and low diagnosis and treatment rates in Saudi Arabia emphasize the need for increased mental health promotion, early detection, and treatment accessibility. The study highlights the importance of addressing modifiable risk factors and fostering protective factors through targeted interventions. Future research should focus on longitudinal associations, potential mediators and moderators, and the development of culturally appropriate and evidence-based interventions to enhance mental health outcomes in the region.
在沙特阿拉伯，精神健康障碍，如重度抑郁症（MDD）和广泛性焦虑症（GAD），是一个重大的公共卫生问题。本研究旨在提供最近的精神健康筛查流行率，包括一般公众的焦虑和抑郁筛查，并探讨相关的危险因素。
采用横断面研究，对 6015 名参与者进行电话访谈调查，采用配额抽样策略确保男女和行政区的平等代表性。该研究评估了 MDD 和 GAD 风险的流行率，并检查了与这些精神健康障碍相关的人口统计学、社会经济和生活方式因素。
发现全国范围内有 MDD 和 GAD 风险的人群比例分别为 12.7%和 12.4%。诊断和治疗率较低，只有 1.5%和 0.5%的参与者目前被诊断和治疗抑郁和焦虑。MDD 和 GAD 的危险因素包括女性、较低的教育和收入水平、吸烟和水烟使用。保护因素包括在过去 30 天内进行身体活动、参与志愿服务活动和日常爱好。
沙特阿拉伯 MDD 和 GAD 风险的相对较高流行率和低诊断率和治疗率强调了需要加强精神健康促进、早期发现和治疗的可及性。该研究强调了通过针对性干预解决可改变的危险因素和培养保护因素的重要性。未来的研究应关注纵向关联、潜在的中介和调节因素，以及制定文化上适当和基于证据的干预措施，以提高该地区的精神健康结果。
