title: The prevalence of personality disorder in a general medical hospital population in Jamaica.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the prevalence of personality disorders in patients admitted to the general medical wards of the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI).
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients (n = 100) sequentially admitted to the general medical wards of the UHWI were assessed for the diagnosis of personality disorder using the gold standard of a consultant assessment based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition, text revision (DSM IV-TR) diagnostic criteria for personality disorder, the International Personality Disorder Examination Screening questionnaire (IPDE-S) and the Jamaica Personality Disorder Inventory (JPDI).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The three assessment instruments identified a prevalence of personality disorder in the cohort of patients of 21% consultant DSM IV-TR assessment, 28% JPDI and 70% IPDE-S. The prevalence rate identified by the IPDE-S was significantly higher than the local instruments used (p < 0.000).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of personality disorder assessed by the JPDI and the IPDE-S and the consultant DSM IV-TR instruments in Jamaica is significantly higher than the prevalence rate of studies in other countries.
authors.affiliation: Section of Psychiatry, Department of Community Health and Psychiatry, The University of the West Indies, Kingston 7, Jamaica. jacqueline.martin02@uwimona.edu.jm.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.affiliation: South East Regional Health Authority, Kingston and St Andrew Public Health Service, 1 Marescaux Road, Kingston 5, Jamaica.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Walcott
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, The University of the West Indies Kingston 7, Jamaica.
authors.forename: T R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Clarke
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, The University of the West Indies Kingston 7, Jamaica.
authors.forename: E N
authors.initials: EN
authors.lastname: Barton
authors.affiliation: Caribbean Institute of Mental Health and Substance Abuse (CARIMENSA), Faculty of Medical Sciences, The University of the West Indies, Kingston 7, Jamaica.
authors.forename: F W
authors.initials: FW
authors.lastname: Hickling
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D007563:Jamaica / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010555:Personality Inventory; D015995:Prevalence; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales