Mental and Physical health condition of young male going to compulsory military services referred to selected Tehran's north health centers

Background: Mental and physical health are two important components of health in the range of military age, due to their high burden of stress. Regarding the effect of military service stress on youth, it is necessary to assess their health indicators for prevention and health promotion. This study measured the physical and mental health status of the compulsory Military services conscripts referred to Tehran's north health centers during spring and summer of 2011. Materials and Methods: Three health centers under supervision of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences in north Tehran were randomly selected and all 107 cases for military services were included in this study. Data were collected using standard approved GHQ-28, physical activity & demographic Questionnaires. Anthropometric measurements and clinical examination were carried out. Results were analyzed using descriptive and analytical statistics. Results: 63.6% of Participants were in normal range of Mental Health and 36.4% of them were in abnormal range. The most impaired subscales of mental health were social functioning and anxiety. 49.5% had physical activity less than normal, 31.7% were overweight or obese and 6.5% were diagnosed with central obesity. 15% had cigarette smoking and 8% had drug or alcohol addiction. Conclusion: The mental health status of the whole cases were at a low level and were on the borderline for mental disease and disorders. Also Physical inactivity, overweight, obesity and smoking had the highest prevalence rate of health risk factors among them. These results indicate the importance of preventive and treatment interventions in this group.