Investigating the General Health Status of Kerman Citizens and Some Related Factors

The objective of this study was to investigate the general health status of Kerman citizens and some related factors.

This cross-sectional and descriptive-analytical study was conducted in autumn of 2016. The statistical population included all citizens over 18 years old in Kerman. Using multistage sampling method, 400 individuals were selected as the sample. The utilized instruments were Goldberg General Health Scale (GHQ-28) and a questionnaire containing demographic, background, and social class information. Data were analyzed using SPSS-23 software as well as descriptive statistics, independent t-test and one-way ANOVA.

The mean and standard deviation of the respondents' general health score was 28.66±12 12.83. Most respondents (63.7%) had some degree of physical and mental problems and thus were not in good general health status, of which 48.5% had mild symptoms, 12.2% had moderate symptoms, and 3% had severe symptoms. Moreover, men had higher general health than women (P=0.011). However, there was no significant relation between general health and age (p=0.424), marital status (p=0.211), area of residence (p=0.300), and social class (P=0.183).

More than half of the respondents had some degree of physical and mental problems and were not in good general health status. It is recommended that periodic screening as well as providing necessary training and consulting services be emphasized in order to improve the general health of citizens.