Lifetime Prevalence of Specific Psychiatric Disorders in Three Sites

TLDR

The study used lay interviewers with the Diagnostic Interview Schedule to estimate lifetime prevalence of 15 DSM‑III psychiatric diagnoses across three large household samples, also reporting correlates with race, education, and urbanization. Alcohol abuse/dependence, phobias, major depressive episodes, and drug abuse/dependence were the most common lifetime diagnoses, with antisocial personality and alcohol abuse predominating in men, depressive episodes and phobias in women, and the highest prevalence occurring among young adults aged 25–44.

Abstract

• Lifetime rates are presented for 15<i>DSM-III</i>psychiatric diagnoses evaluated in three large household samples on the basis of lay interviewers' use of the Diagnostic Interview Schedule. The most common diagnoses were alcohol abuse and dependence, phobia, major depressive episode, and drug abuse and dependence. Disorders that most clearly predominated in men were antisocial personality and alcohol abuse and dependence. Disorders that most clearly predominated in women were depressive episodes and phobias. The age group with highest rates for most disorders was found to be young adults (aged 25 to 44 years). Correlates with race, education, and urbanization are presented.