title: Are personality disorders associated with social welfare burden in the United States?
abstract: This study examined the association between personality disorders and use of major social welfare services in a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults (N = 43,093). Social welfare services received and diagnoses of personality, substance use, mood, and anxiety disorders were assessed with the Alcohol Use Disorder and Associated Disabilities Interview Schedule-DSM-IV-version. Analyses quantified the association between personality disorders and forms of public assistance while controlling for numerous confounds. Logistic regression analyses revealed dependent personality disorder, paranoid personality disorder, antisocial personality disorder, and avoidant personality disorder were significantly associated with increased odds of receiving public assistance. In contrast, persons diagnosed with histrionic, schizoid, and obsessive-personality disorder were not significantly more likely to receive any public welfare service. Development of effective prevention and treatment of personality disorders would likely lead to reductions in overall social welfare burden.
authors.affiliation: Division of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, School of Social Work and Department of Public Policy, Saint Louis University, 3550 Lindell Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63103, USA. mvaughn9@slu.edu
authors.forename: Michael G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Vaughn
authors.forename: Quana
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: Devin
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Beaver
authors.forename: Matt
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: DeLisi
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Perron
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Howard
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011632:Public Assistance / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012946:Social Welfare / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult