The East York Health Needs Study. I: Prevalence of DSM-III-R psychiatric disorder in a sample of Canadian women.
BACKGROUND
This study reports the prevalence of psychiatric disorder in women from a Canadian community. The GHQ and the CES-D were compared for their utility.


METHODS
A thousand women over the age of 18 were mailed the GHQ and the CES-D. Our return rate was 44.4%; 24% were personally interviewed by interviews blind to screening information. The CIDI was used to establish DSM-III-R diagnoses. Four versions of the GHQ and one version of the CES-D were calibrated against the CIDI.


RESULTS
The prevalence of general psychiatric disorder was estimated as between 15% and 19%, anxiety disorders between 10% and 13%, and depression occurring with anxiety between 3% and 4%. The calibrated GHQ was the most reliable instrument.


CONCLUSIONS
Prevalence of DSM-III-R psychiatric disorder can be reliably determined with the calibrated GHQ. Anxiety disorders are most prevalent in this community, and were best detected using calibrated versions of the longer form GHQ.
Katz
R
R
Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Canada.
Stephen
J
J
Shaw
B F
BF
Matthew
A
A
Newman
F
F
Rosenbluth
M
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D003156:Community Mental Health Services / Q000639:trends*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008403:Mass Screening; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D015588:Observer Variation; D009864:Ontario / Q000453:epidemiology; D010552:Personality Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results