DSM-IV personality disorders in Mexico: results from a general population survey.
OBJECTIVE
This paper reports the first population estimates of prevalence and correlates of personality disorders in the Mexican population.


METHODS
Personality disorders screening questions from the International Personality Disorder Examination were administered to a representative sample of the Mexican urban adult population (n = 2,362) as part of the Mexican National Comorbidity Survey, validated with clinical evaluations conducted in the United States. A multiple imputation method was then implemented to estimate prevalence and correlates of personality disorder in the Mexican sample.


RESULTS
Multiple imputation method prevalence estimates were 4.6% Cluster A, 1.6% Cluster B, 2.4% Cluster C, and 6.1% any personality disorder. All personality disorders clusters were significantly comorbid with DSM-IV Axis I disorders. One in every five persons with an Axis I disorder in Mexico is likely to have a comorbid personality disorder, and almost half of those with a personality disorder are likely to have an Axis I disorder.


CONCLUSIONS
Modest associations of personality disorders with impairment and strong associations with treatment utilization were largely accounted for by Axis I comorbidity suggesting that the public health significance of personality disorders lies in their comorbidity with, and perhaps effects upon, Axis I disorders rather than their direct effects on functioning and help seeking.
Benjet
Corina
C
Investigaciones Epidemiológicas y Psicosociales, Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría Ramón de la Fuente, México, D.F., Mexico.
Borges
Guilherme
G
Medina-Mora
Maria Elena
ME
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015897:Comorbidity; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008603:Mental Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008800:Mexico / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012947:Social Work; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014505:Urban Population; D014944:World Health Organization; D055815:Young Adult