independent national evaluation of mental health (iran – 1995)

the purpose of this project was to conduct a thorough evaluation of mental health services delivery system as an important part of helath services delivery system. as an important part of health services delivery system. for this purpose, 266 health workers (behavarses) and health houses, 91 gps and rural health centers, 923 persons who refered to private and other psychiatric centers, and 737 families who lived in the neighborhood of the rural areas where mental health programmes were in operation were selected for participation in this study. data were gathered through administration of several questionnaires to participants and evaluation of the centers' functions.data were analyzed using the descriptive statistic. resutls indicated that implementation of national mental health programmed and its integration into the phc system has led to a major and deep change in the health workers attitude toward the basic principles of mental health and mental health services delivery in the rural areas as well as in people's knowledge of and their tendency to use mental health sercives instead of seeking traditional methods of treatment.