Affective disorders in five United States communities.
Results on the age/sex specific prevalence of DSM-III affective disorders from the NIMH Epidemiologic Catchment Area Study (ECA), a probability sample of over 18,000 adults from five United States communities, are presented. The cross-site means for bipolar disorder ranged from 0.7/100 (2 weeks) to 1.2/100 (lifetime), with a mean age of onset of 21 years and no sex difference in rates. The cross-site means for major depression ranged from 1.5/100 (2 weeks) to 4.4/100 (lifetime), with a mean age onset of 27 years and higher rates in women. The cross-site means for dysthymia, a chronic condition, was 3.1/100 with a higher rate in women. There was reasonable consistency in prevalence rates among sites. The implications of these findings for understanding psychopathology are discussed.
Weissman
M M
MM
Department of Psychiatry, Yale University, New Haven, CT.
Leaf
P J
PJ
Tischler
G L
GL
Blazer
D G
DG
Karno
M
M
Bruce
M L
ML
Florio
L P
LP
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002140:California; D003237:Connecticut; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008396:Maryland; D008875:Middle Aged; D008923:Missouri; D009657:North Carolina; D012737:Sex Factors