Socioeconomic inequality in mental health disorders: A cross-sectional study from the Tehran University of Medical Sciences employees’ cohort study
Abstract Understanding socioeconomic inequalities in health helps identify vulnerable groups and guide targeted interventions. Mental health disorders significantly affect well-being and productivity. This study assessed the prevalence and socioeconomic inequalities in depression, anxiety, and stres...
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Nature Portfolio
2025-05-01
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-02192-8 |
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| author | Sheida Ghorbani Fatemeh Ghavidel Sedigheh Abdollahi Pardis Zarepour FatemehZahra Dehestani Mohammad Saatchi Hamidreza Pouragha Vali Baigi |
| author_facet | Sheida Ghorbani Fatemeh Ghavidel Sedigheh Abdollahi Pardis Zarepour FatemehZahra Dehestani Mohammad Saatchi Hamidreza Pouragha Vali Baigi |
| author_sort | Sheida Ghorbani |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Understanding socioeconomic inequalities in health helps identify vulnerable groups and guide targeted interventions. Mental health disorders significantly affect well-being and productivity. This study assessed the prevalence and socioeconomic inequalities in depression, anxiety, and stress among employees of the Tehran University of Medical Sciences. This cross-sectional study analyzed data from the Tehran University of Medical Sciences Employees’ Cohort (TEC) baseline phase, comprising 4,442 individuals. The Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-42 (DASS-42) was utilized to measure mental health disorders. Education level and wealth index were considered as socioeconomic indicators. The Slope Index of Inequality (SII) and the Relative Index of Inequality (RII) were employed to estimate socioeconomic inequality. The age-adjusted prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress was 8.7%, 8.6%, and 11.5%, respectively. The relative wealth-related inequality analysis revealed that, after adjusting for age, sex, marital status, and education level, the prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress in the lowest wealth index was 2.54, 2.89, and 1.65 times higher than in the highest wealth index, respectively. Additionally, the relative education-related inequality analysis indicated that, adjusted for age, sex, marital status, and wealth index, individuals with primary education or no formal education had 2.58, 2.99, and 2.14 times higher prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress compared to those with a doctoral degree, respectively. Significant disparities in the prevalence of mental health disorders were found across educational and wealth index levels. Targeted interventions and policies should aim to achieve and sustain long-term benefits for vulnerable and disadvantaged groups. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-119e17beefad48d7863d7b421bfd31cb |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-119e17beefad48d7863d7b421bfd31cb2025-08-20T03:48:15ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-05-0115111010.1038/s41598-025-02192-8Socioeconomic inequality in mental health disorders: A cross-sectional study from the Tehran University of Medical Sciences employees’ cohort studySheida Ghorbani0Fatemeh Ghavidel1Sedigheh Abdollahi2Pardis Zarepour3FatemehZahra Dehestani4Mohammad Saatchi5Hamidreza Pouragha6Vali Baigi7Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical SciencesDepartment of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical SciencesDepartment of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical SciencesDepartment of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical SciencesDepartment of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical SciencesDepartment of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation SciencesDepartment of Environmental Engineering, MehrAlborz University (MAU)Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical SciencesAbstract Understanding socioeconomic inequalities in health helps identify vulnerable groups and guide targeted interventions. Mental health disorders significantly affect well-being and productivity. This study assessed the prevalence and socioeconomic inequalities in depression, anxiety, and stress among employees of the Tehran University of Medical Sciences. This cross-sectional study analyzed data from the Tehran University of Medical Sciences Employees’ Cohort (TEC) baseline phase, comprising 4,442 individuals. The Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-42 (DASS-42) was utilized to measure mental health disorders. Education level and wealth index were considered as socioeconomic indicators. The Slope Index of Inequality (SII) and the Relative Index of Inequality (RII) were employed to estimate socioeconomic inequality. The age-adjusted prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress was 8.7%, 8.6%, and 11.5%, respectively. The relative wealth-related inequality analysis revealed that, after adjusting for age, sex, marital status, and education level, the prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress in the lowest wealth index was 2.54, 2.89, and 1.65 times higher than in the highest wealth index, respectively. Additionally, the relative education-related inequality analysis indicated that, adjusted for age, sex, marital status, and wealth index, individuals with primary education or no formal education had 2.58, 2.99, and 2.14 times higher prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress compared to those with a doctoral degree, respectively. Significant disparities in the prevalence of mental health disorders were found across educational and wealth index levels. Targeted interventions and policies should aim to achieve and sustain long-term benefits for vulnerable and disadvantaged groups.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-02192-8Social classHealth status disparitiesMental healthSocial determinants of health |
| spellingShingle | Sheida Ghorbani Fatemeh Ghavidel Sedigheh Abdollahi Pardis Zarepour FatemehZahra Dehestani Mohammad Saatchi Hamidreza Pouragha Vali Baigi Socioeconomic inequality in mental health disorders: A cross-sectional study from the Tehran University of Medical Sciences employees’ cohort study Scientific Reports Social class Health status disparities Mental health Social determinants of health |
| title | Socioeconomic inequality in mental health disorders: A cross-sectional study from the Tehran University of Medical Sciences employees’ cohort study |
| title_full | Socioeconomic inequality in mental health disorders: A cross-sectional study from the Tehran University of Medical Sciences employees’ cohort study |
| title_fullStr | Socioeconomic inequality in mental health disorders: A cross-sectional study from the Tehran University of Medical Sciences employees’ cohort study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Socioeconomic inequality in mental health disorders: A cross-sectional study from the Tehran University of Medical Sciences employees’ cohort study |
| title_short | Socioeconomic inequality in mental health disorders: A cross-sectional study from the Tehran University of Medical Sciences employees’ cohort study |
| title_sort | socioeconomic inequality in mental health disorders a cross sectional study from the tehran university of medical sciences employees cohort study |
| topic | Social class Health status disparities Mental health Social determinants of health |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-02192-8 |
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