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. 2025 Aug 9;15(1):29142.
doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-14848-6.

Psychological distress and its association with gender, socioeconomic status, education and health conditions

Mehdi Mirzaei-Alavijeh  1 , Farid Najafi  2 , Rasoul Gholami Veis  3 , Mehdi Moradinazar  4 , Farhad Farasati  3 , Farzad Jalilian  5
Affiliations

Psychological distress and its association with gender, socioeconomic status, education and health conditions

Mehdi Mirzaei-Alavijeh et al. Sci Rep. .

Abstract

Psychological distress represents a growing concern in contemporary society, with its prevalence often exacerbated by various demographic and health-related factors. Understanding the interplay of gender, socioeconomic status, education, and health conditions is crucial for developing effective mental health interventions. This original cohort-based study investigates the impact of gender, socioeconomic status (SES), education, and existing health conditions on psychological distress levels. This study utilized cross-sectional data from the Ravanser Non-Communicable Disease (RaNCD) cohort, focusing on Kurdish individuals aged 35 to 65 in the Ravanser district of Kermanshah, Iran. Psychological distress was evaluated seven years post-recruitment using a validated scale, involving 3,015 randomly selected participants from the original cohort. Descriptive statistics summarized psychological distress distributions, while multivariable linear regression models, adjusted for various covariates, explored associations between SES, education, and psychological distress, with significance set at p < 0.05. Significant findings include higher psychological distress levels in females (20.56 ± 8.58) compared to males (17.41 ± 7.22) and a strong association with socioeconomic status, where poorer individuals reported greater psychological distress (20.52 ± 8.89) than their wealthier counterparts (16.84 ± 6.79). Education level was also critical, with illiterate individuals experiencing higher psychological distress (19.98 ± 8.42) compared to those with postgraduate education (17.43 ± 7.18). Additionally, individuals with cardiovascular disease (20.92 ± 8.75) and depression (24.82 ± 9.92) exhibited significantly higher psychological distress levels. These findings suggest that targeted interventions addressing mental health should consider demographic factors, socioeconomic status, education, and existing health conditions to effectively reduce psychological distress in vulnerable populations.Overall, these findings underscore the complex interplay of gender, SES, and education in influencing psychological distress, highlighting the need for targeted interventions.

Keywords: Education; Gender differences; Health status; Psychological distress; Socioeconomic factors.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests. Ethics approval and consent to participate: The research ethics committee at Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences approved the study protocol (KUMS.REC.1394.318). All procedures followed the ethical standards of the institution and national research committee, as well as the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its subsequent amendments. Before participating, participants were provided with detailed information about the study, including its procedures, the confidentiality of their information, and its purpose. Informed consent for participation in the study was obtained from all participants. The participants were given the participant information statement and signed the consent form.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Gender-specific trends in psychological distress across SES levels.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Gender-specific trends in psychological distress across education levels.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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