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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Psychiatry
Sec. Public Mental Health
Volume 15 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1433948

Prevalence of Psychiatric Disorders among the Adult Population in a Rural Community of Jammu, India: A cross-sectional study

Provisionally accepted
Sandeepa Bailam Sandeepa Bailam 1*Dinesh Kumar Dinesh Kumar 2*Amrit Sudershan Amrit Sudershan 3Manu Arora Manu Arora 2*Hardeep Kumar Hardeep Kumar 2*Parvinder Kumar Parvinder Kumar 3*
  • 1 Acharya Shri Chander College Of Medical Sciences, Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir, India
  • 2 Government Medical College (Jammu), Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir, India
  • 3 University of Jammu, Jammu, India

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Background: Mental health is crucial for overall well-being, but rural areas often face difficulties in accessing mental health services and understanding psychiatric disorders. Aim:This study aimed to address these issues by assessing the prevalence of psychiatric disorders among adults in rural Jammu and examining how socio-cultural and demographic factors are related to these disorders. Methods: A sample of 1,016 adults from rural Jammu was surveyed using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI). Data were collected through house-to-house visits conducted by trained investigators. Descriptive and inferential statistics, including frequency distribution and odds ratio, were employed to analyze the data respectively.Results: Overall, 20.67% of the participants had a psychiatric disorder. Alcohol dependence was the most common condition, affecting 12.30% of the individuals, followed by generalized anxiety disorder at 3.14%. The study found significant associations between psychiatric disorders and several factors. Specifically, older people were more likely to have psychiatric disorders, with an odds ratio of 3.7 [2.07-6.59]. Married individuals also had a higher likelihood of experiencing psychiatric disorders ). Those with less schooling were at an increased risk, with an odds ratio of 7. 77 [2.31-26.09], and people from lower socioeconomic backgrounds were more likely to have these disorders as well (OR: 5.1 [2.4-10.5]). Discussion & Conclusion: The findings underscore the complex association between socio-demographic factors and mental health outcomes in rural areas of Jammu region. Addressing these disparities requires targeted interventions and policies that account for the unique socio-cultural contexts of rural populations. By understanding the specific challenges faced by these communities, policymakers and healthcare providers can develop more effective strategies to enhance mental health services and promote well-being.

    Keywords: psychiatric disorders, rural areas, Jammu, Socio-demographic factors, mental health disparities

    Received: 16 May 2024; Accepted: 28 Aug 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Bailam, Kumar, Sudershan, Arora, Kumar and Kumar. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence:
    Sandeepa Bailam, Acharya Shri Chander College Of Medical Sciences, Jammu, 180017, Jammu and Kashmir, India
    Dinesh Kumar, Government Medical College (Jammu), Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir, India
    Manu Arora, Government Medical College (Jammu), Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir, India
    Hardeep Kumar, Government Medical College (Jammu), Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir, India
    Parvinder Kumar, University of Jammu, Jammu, India

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.