title: The prevalence, age distribution and comorbidity of personality disorders in Australian women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We aimed to describe the prevalence and age distribution of personality disorders and their comorbidity with other psychiatric disorders in an age-stratified sample of Australian women aged ⩾25 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  Individual personality disorders (paranoid, schizoid, schizotypal, histrionic, narcissistic, borderline, antisocial, avoidant, dependent, obsessive-compulsive), lifetime mood, anxiety, eating and substance misuse disorders were diagnosed utilising validated semi-structured clinical interviews (Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV-TR Axis I Disorders, Research Version, Non-patient Edition and Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis II Personality Disorders). The prevalence of personality disorders and Clusters were determined from the study population ( n = 768), and standardised to the Australian population using the 2011 Australian Bureau of Statistics census data. Prevalence by age and the association with mood, anxiety, eating and substance misuse disorders was also examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall prevalence of personality disorders in women was 21.8% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 18.7, 24.9). Cluster C personality disorders (17.5%, 95% CI: 16.0, 18.9) were more common than Cluster A (5.3%, 95% CI: 3.5, 7.0) and Cluster B personality disorders (3.2%, 95% CI: 1.8, 4.6). Of the individual personality disorders, obsessive-compulsive (10.3%, 95% CI: 8.0, 12.6), avoidant (9.3%, 95% CI: 7.1, 11.5), paranoid (3.9%, 95% CI: 3.1, 4.7) and borderline (2.7%, 95% CI: 1.4, 4.0) were among the most prevalent. The prevalence of other personality disorders was low (⩽1.7%). Being younger (25-34 years) was predictive of having any personality disorder (odds ratio: 2.36, 95% CI: 1.18, 4.74), as was being middle-aged (odds ratio: 2.41, 95% CI: 1.23, 4.72). Among the strongest predictors of having any personality disorder was having a lifetime history of psychiatric disorders (odds ratio: 4.29, 95% CI: 2.90, 6.33). Mood and anxiety disorders were the most common comorbid lifetime psychiatric disorders.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Approximately one in five women was identified with a personality disorder, emphasising that personality disorders are relatively common in the population. A more thorough understanding of the distribution of personality disorders and psychiatric comorbidity in the general population is crucial to assist allocation of health care resources to individuals living with these disorders.
authors.affiliation: 1 Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, Australia.
authors.forename: Shae E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Quirk
authors.affiliation: 1 Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, Australia.|2 Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.|3 Orygen, The National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health and Centre for Youth Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.|4 The Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health, Heidelberg, VIC, Australia.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Berk
authors.affiliation: 1 Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, Australia.|5 Melbourne Medical School-Western Campus, The University of Melbourne, St Albans, VIC, Australia.
authors.forename: Julie A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Pasco
authors.affiliation: 1 Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, Australia.|6 Institute of Health & Ageing, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.|7 Australian Institute of Musculoskeletal Sciences, The University of Melbourne, St Albans, VIC, Australia.
authors.forename: Sharon L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Brennan-Olsen
authors.affiliation: 3 Orygen, The National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health and Centre for Youth Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
authors.forename: Andrew M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Chanen
authors.affiliation: 8 Institute of Clinical Medicine, Psychiatry, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland.|9 Departments of Psychiatry: Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland; South-Savonia Hospital District, Mikkeli, Finland; North Karelia Central Hospital, Joensuu, Finland; SOSTERI, Savonlinna, Finland; SOTE, Iisalmi, Finland; Lapland Hospital District, Rovaniemi, Finland.
authors.forename: Heli
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Koivumaa-Honkanen
authors.affiliation: 1 Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, Australia.|10 School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, VIC, Australia.
authors.forename: Lisa M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Burke
authors.affiliation: 11 Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
authors.forename: Henry J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Jackson
authors.affiliation: 11 Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
authors.forename: Carol
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hulbert
authors.affiliation: 11 Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.|12 Centre for Social and Early Emotional Development, School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, Australia; Centre for Adolescent Health, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Parkville, VIC, Australia; Department of Paediatrics, Royal Children's Hospital, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
authors.forename: Craig
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: A Olsson
authors.affiliation: 13 Centre for Academic Mental Health, School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Moran
authors.affiliation: 1 Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, Australia.
authors.forename: Amanda L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Stuart
authors.affiliation: 1 Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, Australia.
authors.forename: Lana J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Williams
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence
keywords: Personality disorder; comorbidity; epidemiology; prevalence; psychiatry