Lifetime prevalence, sociodemographic correlates, and diagnostic overlaps of bipolar spectrum disorder in the general population of South Korea.
Patients with subthreshold bipolar disorder (Sub-BP) experience severe clinical courses and functional impairments which are comparable to those with bipolar I and II disorders (BP-I and -II). Nevertheless, lifetime prevalence, socioeconomic correlates and diagnostic overlaps of bipolar spectrum disorder (BPS) have not yet been estimated in the general population of South Korean adults.



A total of 3013 adults among the 2011 Korean Epidemiologic Catchment Area survey (KECA-2011) completed face-to-face interviews using the Korean versions of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview 2.1 and Mood Disorder Questionnaire (K-CIDI and K-MDQ).



The lifetime prevalence of BPS in the South Korean adults was measured to be 4.3% (95% CI 2.6-6.9). Nearly 80% of the subjects with BPS were co-diagnosed with other DSM-IV non-psychotic mental disorders: 35.4% (95% CI 24.2-48.5) for major depression and dysthymic disorder, 35.1% (95% CI 27.7-43.3) for anxiety disorders, and 51.9% (95% CI 40.5-63.1) for alcohol and nicotine use disorders. Younger age (18-34 years) was the only sociodemographic predictor of BPS positivity (P=0.014), and the diagnostic overlap patterns were different between men and women.



The prevalence of BPS and other mental disorders could have been influenced by recall bias due to the retrospective nature of this study.



Positivity for BPS was estimated to be much greater than the prevalence of DSM-IV BP in South Korea. Most of the respondents with BPS were diagnosed with other major mental disorders and this might be related with mis- and/or under-diagnosis of clinically relevant Sub-BP.
Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, Inha University, Incheon, South Korea.
Ji-Hyun
JH
Kim
Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea. Electronic address: psyjang@knu.ac.kr.
Sung Man
SM
Chang
Department of Psychiatry, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
Jin Pyo
JP
Hong
Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, Inha University, Incheon, South Korea.
Jae Nam
JN
Bae
Department of Psychiatry, Gachon Medical School, Gachon University of Medicine and Science, Incheon, South Korea.
Seong-Jin
SJ
Cho
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea; Department of Neuropsychiatry, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, South Korea.
Bong-Jin
BJ
Hahm
Department of Psychiatry, Sanggye Paik Hospital, College of Medicine, Inje University, Seoul, South Korea.
Dong-Woo
DW
Lee
Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, South Korea.
Jong-Ik
JI
Park
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea; Department of Neuropsychiatry, Seoul Metropolitan Boramae Medical Center, Seoul, South Korea.
Jun-Young
JY
Lee
Department of Psychiatry, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea; Samsung Advanced Institute for Health Science & Technology (SAIHST), Seoul, South Korea.
Hong Jin
HJ
Jeon
Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea.
Byung-Soo
BS
Kim
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea.
Maeng Je
MJ
Cho
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015897:Comorbidity; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology*; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
Bipolar and related disorders; Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders; Differential diagnosis; Epidemiology