A Norwegian psychiatric epidemiological study.
OBJECTIVE
This study reports results of a large-scale epidemiological investigation of the prevalence of mental disorder in Oslo.


METHODS
A random sample of Oslo residents age 18-65 years was drawn from the Norwegian National Population Register. A total of 2,066 subjects, 57.5% of the original sample, were interviewed with the Composite International Diagnostic Interview in 1994-1997. The mean age of the interviewed subjects was 39.3 years.


RESULTS
The 12-month prevalence of all mental disorders was 32.8%, and the lifetime prevalence was 52.4%. Alcohol abuse/dependence and major depression had the highest lifetime prevalence and 12-month prevalences. All mental disorders were more prevalent in women than in men, with the exception of alcohol and drug abuse/dependence. Severe psychopathology (e.g., three or more diagnoses) was found in 14%-15% of the respondents. The lifetime and 12-month prevalences for all diagnostic categories except drug abuse/dependence were similar to those found in the United States Comorbidity Survey.


CONCLUSIONS
Epidemiological data for Oslo show that the lifetime and 12-month prevalences of mental disorder are quite high, with alcohol abuse/dependence and major depression particularly frequent. The rates for women are higher than those for men for all diagnostic categories, except for alcohol and drug abuse/dependence.
Kringlen
E
E
Department of Psychiatry, University of Oslo, Norway.
Torgersen
S
S
Cramer
V
V
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000453:epidemiology; D015897:Comorbidity; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012494:Sampling Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology