Investigation of mental health status and benefiting from health services of population over 18 in Adana province Karatas district

Objective: Aim of this study is; investigating mental status of population aged 18 years and older in the Karatas district center of Adana province, determining the factors that affect and utilization of mental health services. Material and Methods: Population of Adana province Karatas district over age of 18 was 6,580. Sample size of study was calculated as 363 and required legal permissions and approval of the ethics committee were obtained and between 03.28.2016-06.15.2016, 75 question questionnaire consisting of sociodemographic characteristics, health status, application to health services, and Brief Symptom Inventory questions was applied in participants' homes with face-to-face interview method. Type of study is cross-sectional. Frequency analysis, chi-square test and logistic regression analysis were used in SPSS 19.0 software. Results: 7.4% of 363 people who participated in the study had had a mental illness in the past and 6.3% still had a mental illness. 14.3% of participants thought that they had a mental illness in themselves. 20.4% had applied to a doctor for mental disturbance so far, and 22.8% had received treatment. When looked at mental symptom levels; an average over cut-off value of 22.6% to 40.2% for each symptom was observed. There was a significant relationship between sociodemographic characteristics of participants and psychological symptoms. Conclusion: Although psychiatric symptoms are common, people with symptoms have difficulty in benefiting from health care. National mental health policy should be of quality that prevents emergence of mental problems, early recognition of patients, treatment, and rehabilitation especially in society.