Epidemiology of psychological distress: a population-based cross-sectional study

Objective To determine the prevalence and distribution of psychological distress in an urban adult population. Methods A total of 3,942 individuals over 20 years old in the city of Pelotas, Brazil, were studied. Psychological distress was defined using an indicator of well-being, the Faces Scale, and self-perception of nervousness. Chi-square test was performed to assess the association with sociodemographics. Results Prevalence of psychological distress was 14% when using the Faces Scale and 31.8% through self-perception of nervousness. Conclusions Older, poor, and lower education women groups were the ones that showed a higher prevalence of distress.