title: The Netherlands Mental Health Survey and Incidence Study (NEMESIS): objectives and design.
abstract: The article describes the objectives and design of a prospective study of the prevalence, incidence and course of psychiatric disorders in a representative sample of non-institutionalized Dutch adults. A total of 7146 men and women aged 18-64, contacted through a multistage sample of municipalities and households, were interviewed at home in 1996. The primary diagnostic instrument was the CIDI, which determines the lifetime occurrence of DSM-III-R disorders. The disorders included were: mood disorders, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, schizophrenia and other non-affective psychotic disorders, and dependence and abuse of psychoactive substances. Follow-up measurements in the same sample were scheduled at 12 and 36 months. The net response to the first measurement was 69.7%. Poststratification weightings were applied for gender, age, marital status and degree of urbanization. Limitations and advantages of the study design are discussed. Findings are reported elsewhere in this issue.
authors.affiliation: Netherlands Institute of Mental Health and Addiction, Trimbos-Instituut, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: R V
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Bijl
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: van Zessen
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ravelli
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: de Rijk
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Langendoen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D011446:Prospective Studies