Determining the Mental Health of Tehran University of Medical Sciences Residents, According to the General Health Questionnaire Publisher



Pishgahi G ; Shirbache K ; Abdshah A ; Hashemi M S ; Shirani F ; Sheikh Motahar Vahedi H ; Jahanshir A
Source: Medical Journal of the Islamic Republic of Iran Published:2026

Abstract

Background: Mental health disorders can significantly impact medical learners, hinder their education, and potentially affect their future practice in profound ways. This study aimed to determine the general health of residents at Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS). Methods: We conducted this cross-sectional study in 2016 to assess the general health of 349 TUMS residents, using the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ). The GHQ is a widely used screening tool that evaluates general mental health across 4 domains: somatic symptoms, anxiety and insomnia, social dysfunction, and severe depression. This tool is known for its reliability and validity in identifying individuals at risk for mental health issues. For data analysis, we applied the Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests, logistic regression, and chi-square tests to examine associations among study variables. Results: Overall, general health dysfunction was observed in 54.7% of residents (95% CI, 49.4-59.8). The prevalence of somatic symptoms, anxiety, social dysfunction, and depression was 44.1% (95% CI, 39.3-49.8), 57.6% (95% CI, 52.3-62.7), 23.8% (95% CI, 19.6-28.6), and 51.5% (95% CI, 46.2-56.7), respectively. General health dysfunction was significantly associated with sex, marital status, interest in the field, exercise habits, satisfaction with leisure time and curriculum, use of sleep-aid medications, smoking, residency level, and living arrangements. Conclusion: This study highlights the high prevalence of mental health challenges among residents at TUMS. The findings indicate that a substantial proportion of residents experience general health dysfunction, including anxiety, depression, somatic symptoms, and social dysfunction. These results emphasize the importance of ongoing monitoring and support for residents' mental well-being during their training. Copyright© Iran University of Medical Sciences. This work has been published under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license.