Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Prevalence of mental disorders based on general population surveys

  • ORIGINAL PAPER
  • Published:
Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objective

In the last two decades, a multitude of investigations into the frequency of mental disorders in the population have emerged, making it difficult to keep track of recent findings and tasks. Building on a historical review, the present study provides a comprehensive overview of knowledge about the prevalence of mental disorders.

Method

The review is based on current national surveys with comparable methodology. Study selection, based on a consecutive literature search through August 2005, led to the inclusion of Australian, German, Dutch and US-American (NCS; NCS-R) surveys of mental disorders in the general population.

Results

A considerable proportion of the population is found to have a mental disorder. The most frequent disorders within the preceding 12 months are mood disorders (6.6–11.9%) and anxiety disorders (5.6–18.1%). Substance disorders (3.8–11.3%) and somatoform disorders (11.0%) are also very frequent. The prevalence rates presented in each survey are dependent on the specific disorders included and the classification system underlying them. Important risk factors are being female, being unmarried, being unemployed and having a low social status.

Conclusions

Knowledge about mental disorders in the general population can contribute to bringing about considerable improvement in the treatment of mental disorders. In addition to available knowledge, however, there is a continued need to address existing challenges from both a methodological and content-related perspective, e.g. the lack of or inadequate inclusion of specific disorders, the lack of prevalence rates of mental disorders in childhood and adolescence, and the as yet only rare inclusion of personality disorders.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Abou-Saleh MT, Ghubash R, Daradkeh TK (2001) Al Ain Community Psychiatric Survey I. Prevalence and socio-demographic correlates. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 36:20–28

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Andrade L, Caraveo-Anduaga JJ, Berglund P, Bijl R, deGraaf R, Vollebergh WA, Dragomirecká E, Kohn R, Keller MB, Kessler RC, Kawakami N, Kilic C, Offord D, Üstün TB, Wittchen H-U (2003) The epidemiology of major depressive episodes: results from the International Consortium of Psychiatric Epidemiology (ICPE) Surveys. Int J Psychiatr Res 12:3–21

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Andrade L, Walters EE, Gentil V, Laurenti R (2002). Prevalence of ICD-10 mental disorders in a catchment area in the city of Sao Paulo, Brazil. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 37:316–325

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Andrews G, Henderson S, Hall W (2001) Prevalence, comorbidity, disability and service utilization—overview of the Australian National Health Survey. Br J Psychiatry 178:145–153

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Angst J, Gamma A, Gastpar M, Lépine J-P, Mendlewicz J, Tylee A (2002) Gender differences in depression—Epidemiological findings from the European DEPRES I and II studies. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 252:201–209

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Ayuso-Mateos JL, Vazquez-Barquero JL, Dowrick C, Lehtinen V, Dalgard OS, Casey P, Wilkinson C, Lasa L, Page H, Dunn G, Wilkinson G, the Odin Group (2001) Depressive disorders in Europe: prevalence figures from the ODIN study. Br J Psychiatry 179:308–316

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Barsky AJ, Orav EJ, Bates DW (2005) Somatization increases medical utilization and costs independent of psychiatric and medical comorbidity. Arch Gen Psychiatry 62:903–910

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Baumeister H, Hoefler M, Jacobi F, Wittchen H-U, Bengel J, Härter M (2004) Psychische Störungen bei Patienten mit muskuloskelettalen und kardiovaskulären Erkrankungen im Vergleich zur Allgemeinbevölkerung. Z Klin Psychol Psychother 33:33–41

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Bertelsen A (2002) Schizophrenia and related disorders: experience with current diagnostic systems. Psychopathology 35:89–93

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Bijl RV, Ravelli A, Zessen G van (1998) Prevalence of psychiatric disorder in the general population: results of the Netherlands Mental Health Survey and Incidence Study (NEMESIS). Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 33:587–595

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Bijl RV, Zessen G van, Ravelli A, deRijk C, Langendoen Y (1998) The Netherlands Mental Health Survey and Incidence Study (NEMESIS): objectives and design. Soc Psych Psychiatr Epidemiol 33:581–586

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Boyle MH, Offord DR, Campbell D, Catlin G, Goering P, Lin E, Racine YA (1996) Mental health supplement to the ontario health survey: methodology. Can J Psychiatry 41:549–558

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Brugha TS, Bebbington PE, Singleton N, Melzer D, Jenkins R, Lewis G, Farrell M, Bhugra D, Lee A, Meltzer H (2004) Trends in service use and treatment for mental disorders in adults throughout Great Britain. Br J Psychiatry 185:378–384

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Canino GJ, Bird HR, Shrout PE, Rubio-Stipec M, Bravo M, Martinez R, Sesman M, Guevara LM (1987) The prevalence of specific psychiatric disorders in Puerto Rico. Arch Gen Psychiatry 44:727–735

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Carlbring P, Gustafsson H, Ekselius L, Andersson G (2002) 12-month prevalence of panic disorder with or without agoraphobia in the Swedish general population. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 37:207–211

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Dohrenwend BP, Dohrenwend BS, Gould MS, Link B, Neugebauer R, Wunsch-Hitzig R (1980) Mental illness in the United States: epidemiological estimates. Praeger, New York

    Google Scholar 

  17. Cuijpers P, Smit F (2004) Subthreshold depression as a risk indicator for major depressive disorder: a systematic review of prospective studies. Acta Psychiatr Scand 109:325–331

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Endicott J, Spitzer RL (1978) A diagnostic interview—the schedule for affective disorders and schizophrenia. Arch Gen Psychiatry 35:837–844

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Escobar JI, Rubio-Stipec M, Canino G, Karno M (1989) Somatic symptom index (SSI): a new and abridged somatization construct—prevalence and epidemiological correlates in two large community samples. J Nerv Ment Dis 177:140–146

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. ESEMeD/MHEDEA 2000 Investigators (2004) Prevalence of mental disorders in Europe: results from the European Study of the Epidemiology of Mental Disorders (ESEMeD) project. Acta Psychiatr Scand 109(suppl. 420):21–27

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Faravelli C, Abrardi L, Bartolozzi D, Cecchi C, Cosci F, D´Adamo D, Lolacono B, Ravaldi C, Scarpato MA, Truglia E, Rosi S (2004) The Sesto Fiorentino Study: background, methods and preliminary results. Lifetime prevalence of psychiatric disorders in an Italian community sample using clinical interviewers. Psychother Psychosom 73:216–225

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Faravelli C, Guerrinie-Degl´Innocenti BG, Aiazzi L, Incerpi G, Pallanti S (1990) Epidemiology of mood disorders: a community survey in Florence. J Affect Dis 20:135–141

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Faravelli C, Salvatori S, Galassi F, Aiazzi L, Drei C, Cabras P (1997) Epidemiology of somatoform disorders: a community survey in Florence. Soc Psych Psychiatr Epidemiol 32:24–29

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Feighner JP, Robins E, Guze SB, Woodruff RA, Winokur G, Munoz R (1972) Diagnostic Criteria for Use in Psychiatric Research. Arch Gen Psychiatry 26:57–63

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Fogel J, Eaton WW, Ford DE (2006) Minor depression as a predictor of the first onset of major depressive disorder over a 15-year follow-up. Acta Psychiatr Scand 113:36–43

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Furr-Holden CD, Anthony JC (2003) Epidemiologic differences in drug dependence—A US-UK cross-national comparison. Soc Psych Psychiatr Epidemiol 38:165–172

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Haarasilta L, Marttunen M, Kaprio J, Aro H (2001) The 12-month prevalence and characteristics of major depressive episode in a representative nationwide sample of adolescents and young adults. Psychol Med 31:1169–1179

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Helmchen H, Linden M (2000) Subthreshold disorders in psychiatry: clinical reality, methodological artefact, and the double-threshold problem. Compr Psychiatry 41:1–7

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Helzer JE, Robbins LN, Croughan JL, Welner A (1981) Renard diagnostic interview. Arch Gen Psychiatry 38:393–398

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Henderson S, Andrews G, Hall W (2000) Australia’s mental health: an overview of the general population survey. Aust New Zeal J Psychiatry 34:197–205

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Hiller W, Rief W (2005) Why DSM-III was right to introduce the concept of somatoform disorders. Psychosomatics 46:105–108

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Hwu HG, Yeth EK, Chang LY (1989) Prevalence of psychiatric disorders in Taiwan defined by the Chinese Diagnostic Interview Schedule. Acta Psychiatr Scand 79:136–147

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Insel TR, Fenton WS (2005) Psychiatric epidemiology. Arch Gen Psychiatry 62:590–592

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Jacobi F, Wittchen H-U, Hölting C, Höfler M, Pfister H, Müller N, Lieb R (2004) Prevalence, comorbidity and correlates of mental disorders in the general population: results from the German Health Interview and Examination Survey (GHS). Psychol Med 34:597–611

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Jacobi F, Wittchen H-U, Müller N, Hölting C, Sommer S, Lieb R, Höfler M, Pfister H (2002) Estimating the prevalence of mental and somatic disorders in the community: aims and methods of the German National Health Interview and Examination Survey. Int J Psychiatr Res 11:1–18

    Article  Google Scholar 

  36. Jenkins R, Bebbington P, Brugha T, Farrell M, Gill B, Lewis G, Meltzer H, Petticrew M (1997) The national psychiatric morbidity surveys of Great Britain—strategy and methods. Psychol Med 27:765–774

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Jenkins R, Lewis G, Bebbington P, Brugha T, Farrell M, Gill B, Meltzer H (1997) The national psychiatric morbidity surveys of Great Britain—initial findings from the Household Survey. Psychol Med 27:775–789

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. Kendell R, Jablensky A (2003) Distinguishing between the validity and utility of psychiatric diagnoses. Am J Psychiatry 160:4–12

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Kessler RC (2000) Psychiatric epidemiology: selected recent advances and future directions. Bull World Health Organ 78:464–474

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. Kessler RC, Berglund P, Chiu WT, Demler O, Heeringa S, Hiripi E, Jin R, Pennell BE, Walters EE, Zaslavsky A, Zheng H (2004) The US National Comorbidity Survey Replication (NCS-R): design and field procedures. Int J Meth Psychiatr Res 13:69–92

    Article  Google Scholar 

  41. Kessler RC, Chiu WT, Demler O, Walters EE (2005) Prevalence, severity, and comorbidity of 12-month DSM-IV disorders in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication. Arch Gen Psychiatry 62:617–627

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  42. Kessler RC, Demler O, Frank RG, Olfson M, Pincus HA, Walters EE, Wang P, Wells KB, Zaslavsky AM (2005) Prevalence and treatment of mental disorders, 1990 to 2003. New Eng J Med 352:2515–2523

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  43. Kessler RC, Merikangas KR (2004) The National Comorbidity Survey Replication (NCS-R): background and aims. Int J Psychiatr Res 13:60–68

    Article  Google Scholar 

  44. Kessler RC, Merikangas KR, Berglund P, Eaton W, Koretz DS, Walters EE (2003) Mild disorders should not be eliminated from the DSM-V. Arch Gen Psychiatry 60:1117–1122

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  45. Kessler RC, McGonagle KA, Zhao S, Nelson CB, Hughes M, Eshleman S, Wittchen H-U, Kendler KS (1994) Lifetime and 12-month prevalence of DSM-III-R psychiatric disorders in the United States: results from the national comorbidity survey. Arch Gen Psychiatry 51:8–19

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  46. Kessler RC, Walters EE (2002) The national comorbidity survey. In: Tsuang MT, Tohen M, Zahner GE (eds) Textbook in psychiatric epidemiology, 2nd edn. John Wiley and Sons, New York

  47. Kleinman A (1996) How is culture important for DSM-IV? In: Mezzich JE, Kleinman A, Fabrega H, Parron DL (eds), Culture and psychiatric diagnosis. A DSM-IV perspective. Washington American Psychiatric Press, pp 15–26

    Google Scholar 

  48. Kringlen E, Torgersen S, Cramer V (2001) A norwegian psychiatric epidemiological study. Am J Psychiatry 158:1091–1098

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  49. Kroenke K (2006) Minor depression: midway between major depression and euthymia. Ann Intern Med 144:528–530

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  50. Lee CK, Kwak YS, Yamamoto J, Rhee H, Kim YS, Han JH, Choi JO, Lee YH (1990) Psychiatric epidemiology in Korea. Part I: gender and age differences in Seoul. J Nerv Ment Dis 178:242–246

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  51. Lewis G, Pelosi AJ, Araya R, Dunn G (1992) Measuring psychiatric disorder in the community: a standardized assessment for use by lay interviewers. Psychol Med 22:465–486

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  52. Lindeman S, Hämäläinen J, Isometsä E, Kaprio J, Poikolainen K, Heikkinen M, Aro H (2000) The 12-month prevalence and risk factors for major depressive episode in Finland: representative sample of 5993 adults. Acta Psychiatr Scand 102:178–184

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  53. Loranger AW, Janca A, Sartorius N (1997) Assessment and diagnosis of personality disorders. Cambridge University Press Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

  54. Lyness JM, Heo M, Datto CJ, Ten Have TR, Katz IR, Drayer R, Reynolds CF, Alexopoulos GS, Bruce ML (2006) Outcomes of minor and subsyndromal depression among elderly patients in primary care settings. Ann Intern Med 144:496–504

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  55. Mayou R, Kirmayer LJ, Simon G, Kroenke K, Sharpe M (2005) Somatoform disorders: time for a new approach in DSM-V. Am J Psychiatry 162:847–855

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  56. McConnell P, Bebbington P, McClelland R, Gillespie K, Houghton S (2002) Prevalence of psychiatric disorder and the need for psychiatric care in Northern Ireland—population study in the district of Derry. Br J Psychiatry 181:214–219

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  57. Medina-Mora ME, Borges G, Lara C, Benjet C, Blanco J, Fleiz C, Villatoro J, Rojas E, Zambrona J (2005) Prevalence, service use, and demographic correlates of 12-month DSM-IV psychiatric disorders in Mexico: results from the Mexican National Comorbidity Survey. Psychol Med 35:1773–1783

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  58. Meyer C, Rumpf H-J, Hapke U, Dilling H, John U (2000) Lebenszeitprävalenz psychischer störungen in der erwachsenen allgemeinbevölkerung—ergebnisse der TACOS-Studie. Nervenarzt 71:535–542

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  59. Nagata T, van Vliet I, Yamada H, Kataoka K, Iketani T, Kiriike N (2005) An open trial of paroxetine for the “offensive subtype” of taijin kyofusho and social anxiety disorder. Depress Anxiety 23:168–174

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  60. Orn H, Newman SC, Bland RC (1988) Design and field methods of the Edmonton survey of psychiatric disorders. Acta Psychiatr Scand 77:17–23

    Google Scholar 

  61. Pirkola SP, Isometsa E, Suvisaari J, Aro H, Joukamaa M, Poikolainen K, Koskinen S, Aromaa A, Lonnqvist JK (2005) DSM-IV mood-, anxiety-, alcohol use disorders and their comorbidity in the Finnish general population—results from the Health 2000 study. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 40:1–10

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  62. Reed V, Gander F, Pfister H, Steiger A, Sonntag H, Trenkwalder C, Sonntag A, Hundt W Wittchen H-U (2000) To what degree does the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) correctly identify DSM-IV disorders? Testing validity issues in a clinical sample. Int J Psychiatr Res 7:142–155

    Article  Google Scholar 

  63. Rief W, Hessel A, Braehler E (2001) Somatization symptoms and hypochondriacal features in the general population. Psychosom Med 63:595–602

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  64. Robins LN, Helzer JE, Croughan J, Ratcliff KS (1981) National institute of mental health diagnostic interview schedule. Arch Gen Psychiatry 38:381–389

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  65. Robins LN, Regier DA (1991) Psychiatric disorders in America. The epidemiological catchment area study. Free Press, New York

    Google Scholar 

  66. Roca-Bennasar M, Gili-Planas M, Ferrer-Perez V, Bernardo-Arroyo M (2001) Mental disorders and medical conditions. A community study in a small island in Spain. J Psychosom Res 50:39–44

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  67. Sandanger I, Nygard JF, Ingebrigsten G, Sorensen T, Dalgard OS (1999) Prevalence, incidence and age at onset of psychiatric disorders in Norway. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 34:570–579

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  68. Shen Y-C, Zhang M-Y, Huang Y-Q, He Y-L, Liu Z-R, Cheng H, Tsang A, Lee S, Kessler RC (2006) Twelve-month prevalence, severity, and unmet need for treatment of mental disorders in metropolitan China. Psychol Med 36:257–267

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  69. Spitzer RL, Williams JB, Gibbon M, First MB (1992) The Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R (SCID), I: history, rationale, and description. Arch Gen Psychiatry 49:624–629

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  70. Stein MB, Torgrud LJ, Walker JR (2000) Social phobia symptoms, subtypes, and severity. Findings from a community survey. Arch Gen Psychiatry 57:1046–1052

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  71. Suzuki K, Takei N, Kawai M, Minabe Y, Mori N (2003) Is taijin kyofusho a culture-bound syndrome? Am J Psychiatry 160:1358

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  72. Tohen M, Bromet E, Murphy JM, Tsuang MT (2000) Psychiatric epidemiology. Harv Rev Psychiatry 8:111–125

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  73. Vega WA, Kolody B, Aguilar-Gaxiola S, Alderete E, Catalano R, Caraveo-Anduaga J (1998) Lifetime prevalence of DSM-III-R psychiatric disorders among urban and rural Mexican Americans in California. Arch Gen Psychiatry 55:771–778

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  74. Wacker HR, Müllejans R, Klein KH, Battegay R (1992) Identification of cases of anxiety disorders and affective disorders in the community according to ICD-10 and DSM-III-R by using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI). Int J Psychiatr Res 2:91–100

    Google Scholar 

  75. Weissman MM (1995) The epidemiology of psychiatric disorders: past, present, and future generations. Int J Meth Psychiatr Res 5:69–78

    Google Scholar 

  76. WHO World Mental Health Survey Consortium (2004) Prevalence, severity, and unmet need for treatment of mental disorders in the World Health Organization World Mental Health Surveys. J Am Med Assoc 291:2581–2590

    Article  Google Scholar 

  77. Wing JK, Babor T, Brugha T, Burke J, Cooper JE, Giel R, Jablensky A, Regier R, Sartorius N (1990) SCAN: schedules for clinical assessment in neuropsychiatry. Arch Gen Psychiatry 47:589–593

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  78. Wittchen H-U (1994) Reliability and validity studies of the WHO-Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI): a critical review. J Psychiatr Res 28:57–84

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  79. Wittchen H-U (2000) Schlussbericht Zusatzsurvey “Psychische Störungen” (Bundesgesundheitssurvey ´98): Häufigkeit, psychosoziale Beeinträchtigungen und Zusammenhänge mit körperlichen Erkrankungen. Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung Bonn

  80. Wittchen H-U (2004) Continued needs for epidemiological studies of mental disorders in the community. Psychother Psychosom 73:197–206

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  81. Wittchen H-U, Essau CA, Zerssen D, Kreig JD, Zaudig M (1992) Lifetime and 6-month prevalence of mental disorders in the Munich Follow-up Study. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 241:247–258

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  82. Wittchen H-U, Jacobi F (2001) Die versorgungssituation psychischer störungen in deutschland: eine klinisch-epidemiologische abschätzung anhand des bundes-gesundheitssurveys 1998. Bundesgesundheitsbl, Gesundheitsforsch, Gesundheitsschutz 44:993–1000

    Article  Google Scholar 

  83. Wittchen H-U, Jacobi F (2004) Size and burden of mental disorders in Europe—a critical review and appraisal of 27 studies. Eur Neuropsychopharm 15:357–376

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  84. Wittchen H-U, Nelson CB, Lachner G (1998) Prevalence of mental disorders and psychosocial impairments in adolescents and young adults. Psychol Med 28:109–126

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  85. Zimmerman M, Rothschild L, Chelminiski I (2005) The prevalence of DSM-IV personality disorders in psychiatric outpatients. Am J Psychiatry 162:1911–1918

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Harald Baumeister PhD.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Baumeister, H., Härter, M. Prevalence of mental disorders based on general population surveys. Soc Psychiat Epidemiol 42, 537–546 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-007-0204-1

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-007-0204-1

Keywords

Navigation