Burden Of Psychiatric Disorders Research Articles

Transdiagnostic evaluation of epigenetic age acceleration and burden of psychiatric disorders

Different psychiatric disorders as well as exposure to adverse life events have individually been associated with multiple age-related diseases and mortality. Age acceleration in different epigenetic clocks can serve as biomarker for such risk and could help to disentangle the interplay of psychiatric comorbidity and early adversity on age-related diseases and mortality. We evaluated five epigenetic clocks (Horvath, Hannum, PhenoAge, GrimAge and DunedinPoAm) in a transdiagnostic psychiatric sample using epigenome-wide DNA methylation data from peripheral blood of 429 subjects from two studies at the Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry. Burden of psychiatric disease, represented by a weighted score, was significantly associated with biological age acceleration as measured by GrimAge and DunedinPoAm (R2-adj. 0.22 and 0.33 for GrimAge and DunedinPoAm, respectively), but not the other investigated clocks. The relation of burden of psychiatric disease appeared independent of differences in socioeconomic status and medication. Our findings indicate that increased burden of psychiatric disease may associate with accelerated biological aging. This highlights the importance of medical management of patients with multiple psychiatric comorbidities and the potential usefulness of specific epigenetic clocks for early detection of risk and targeted intervention to reduce mortality in psychiatric patients.

Risk of Psychiatric Disorders Among Spouses of Patients With Cancer in Denmark and Sweden

There is emerging evidence that spouses of patients with cancer may have a higher prevalence of mental illness, but these studies have been limited by pre-post designs, focus on a single mental illness, and short follow-up periods. To assess the overall burden of psychiatric disorders among spouses of patients with cancer vs spouses of individuals without cancer and to describe possible changes in this burden over time. This population based cohort study included spouses of patients with cancer (diagnosed 1986-2016 in Denmark and 1973-2014 in Sweden; exposed group) and spouses of individuals without cancer (unexposed group). Members of the unexposed group were individually matched to individuals in the exposed group on the year of birth, sex, and country. Spouses with and without preexisting psychiatric morbidity were analyzed separately. Data analysis was performed between May 2021 and January 2022. Being spouse to a patient with cancer. The main outcome was a clinical diagnosis of psychiatric disorders through hospital-based inpatient or outpatient care. Flexible parametric models and Cox models were fitted to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% CIs, adjusted for sex, age and year at cohort entry, country, household income, and cancer history. Among 546 321 spouses in the exposed group and 2 731 574 in the unexposed group who had no preexisting psychiatry morbidity, 46.0% were male participants, with a median (IQR) age at cohort entry of 60 (51-68) years. During follow-up (median, 8.4 vs 7.6 years), the incidence rate of first-onset psychiatric disorders was 6.8 and 5.9 per 1000 person-years for the exposed and unexposed groups, respectively (37 830 spouses of patients with cancer [6.9%]; 153 607 of spouses of individuals without cancer [5.6%]). Risk of first-onset psychiatric disorders increased by 30% (adjusted HR, 1.30; 95% CI, 1.25-1.34) during the first year after cancer diagnosis, especially for depression (adjusted HR, 1.38; 95% CI, 1.30-1.47) and stress-related disorders (adjusted HR, 2.04; 95% CI, 1.88-2.22). Risk of first-onset psychiatric disorders increased by 14% (adjusted HR, 1.14; 95% CI, 1.13-1.16) during the entire follow-up, which was similar for substance abuse, depression, and stress-related disorders. The risk increase was more prominent among spouses of patients diagnosed with a cancer with poor prognosis (eg, pancreatic cancer: adjusted HR, 1.41; 95% CI, 1.32-1.51) or at an advanced stage (adjusted HR, 1.31; 95% CI, 1.26-1.36) and when the patient died during follow-up (adjusted HR, 1.29; 95% CI, 1.27-1.31). Among spouses with preexisting psychiatric morbidity, the risk of psychiatric disorders (first-onset or recurrent) increased by 23% during the entire follow-up (adjusted HR, 1.23; 95% CI, 1.20-1.25). In this cohort study of 2 populations in Denmark and Sweden, spouses of patients with cancer experienced increased risk of several psychiatric disorders that required hospital-based specialist care. Our results support the need for clinical awareness to prevent potential mental illness among the spouses of patients with cancer.

Psychiatric disorders in adolescents living with HIV in Botswana

BackgroundAs children living with HIV transition from adolescence into adulthood, they face a considerable burden of psychiatric disorders (PDs) which may vary between the perinatally and behaviorally infected. The knowledge of the pattern of these PDs in relation to the varying needs of the adolescents living with HIV (ALWHIV) is unclear but necessary for maximizing their linkage to care and improving their quality of life in Botswana. AimTo determine the pattern of PDs in ALWHIV in Botswana; to compare and explore the differences in the pattern and their associated factors between congenitally infected adolescents (CIAs) and behaviorally infected adolescents (BIAs).MethodsA cross-sectional survey of 622 ALWHIV (399 CIA and 223 BIA) with the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview-Kid Screen.ResultsThe participants' mean age (SD) was 17.71 (1.60) years, with more males (54%), of whom 52.9% had at least one PD, with depression (23.6%) and generalised anxiety disorder (18.0%) being the most prevalent. The externalising disorders were associated with being CIA (OR = 3.99; 95% CI:1.87–8.54), male gender (OR = 3.93; 95% CI:2.02–7.64), and a viral load of 400 and above copies (OR = 3.53; 95%CI:1.92–6.48). Internalising disorders were associated with being BIA (OR = 3.64; 95%; CI: 2.39–5.56), females (OR = 2.59; 95% CI:1.75–3.83), poor counselling (OR = 2.23; 95% CI: 1.42–3.51) and struggling to accept HIV status (OR = 1.73; 95% CI:1.14–2.62).ConclusionsDepression and anxiety disorders were the most prevalent PDs in ALWHIV, who differed in psychiatric presentations, the BIAs being more likely to present with internalizing disorders, while the CIAs had more externalizing disorders. Due to the varying needs of ALWHIV, individualized management plans that consider gender, mode of infection, and other psycho-social needs, should be further studied and encouraged.

Biomarkers in Psychiatric Drug Development: From Precision Medicine to Novel Therapeutics.

Burden of psychiatric disorders is compounded by their wide prevalence as well as the limited efficacy of currently available treatments and the current approaches for prescribing these treatments. The selection of treatments continues to be subjective and often results in a trial-and-error approach. Emerging research suggests that biological markers (or biomarkers) can be used to develop precision medicine approaches for psychiatric disorders. Furthermore, the biomarkers also promise to elucidate the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms which in turn can be used to develop novel therapeutic treatments. In this chapter we have focused on mood disorders and reviewed studies on electroencephalography (EEG), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and blood-based biomarkers that can guide selection of one treatment versus another (treatment-selection biomarker) as well as biomarkers that can guide the development of novel therapeutics. These studies suggest that the use of objective physiological data is poised to alter the landscape of psychiatric diagnosis and treatment. However, practical and economic barriers remain as major hurdles. The key to finding such translational diagnostic and therapeutic biomarkers is a better understanding of the underlying pathophysiology, and despite the tremendous advances in neuroscience, it is clear there remains much left to be elucidated.

The Burden of Psychiatric Disorders in Polycystic Kidney Disease

The Burden of Psychiatric Disorders in Polycystic Kidney Disease

Burden of Psychiatric Disorders in Moyamoya Disease: A National Inpatient Perspective From 2007-2014.

Objective: Moyamoya disease is a cerebrovascular illness that causes progressive stenosis of the intracranial internal carotid arteries and their proximal branches, increasing the risk of stroke. Moyamoya disease is associated with a small number of neuropsychiatric symptoms. The objective of this study was to investigate psychiatric comorbidities and trends in patients with Moyamoya disease in the United States.Methods: US National Inpatient Sample data from 2007 to 2014 were used for analyses in this cross-sectional study. The frequency of psychiatric and nonpsychiatric disorders among adult patients with known Moyamoya disease was assessed. Baseline demographics included in the analysis and diagnostic codes used to identify psychiatric disorders were determined. Categorical and continuous data were assessed using Pearson χ2 test and Mann-Whitney U test, respectively. All analyses were conducted using SPSS version 22.0.Results: The prevalence of psychiatric comorbidities was 38.7% (7,861/20,289). The most common psychiatric disorders were mood disorders (17.8%) and anxiety disorders (8%). Psychosis and drug abuse were present in 4.4% and 4.1% of patients, respectively. Approximately 1 in 4 patients (22.2%) with Moyamoya disease had previously been screened for mental health or substance abuse. The rate of suicide or self-inflicted injury was 0.8%.Conclusions: The impact of Moyamoya disease on mental health services is expected to grow, as the condition's prevalence is increasing at a rate of approximately 1.5- to 2-fold. A multidisciplinary approach between neurology, psychiatry, and primary care can improve screening and management of comorbid psychiatric disorders.

Cumulative burden of psychiatric disorders and self-harm across 26 adult cancers

Cancer is a life-altering event causing considerable psychological distress. However, information on the total burden of psychiatric disorders across all common adult cancers and therapy exposures has remained scarce. Here, we estimated the risk of self-harm after incident psychiatric disorder diagnosis in patients with cancer and the risk of unnatural deaths after self-harm in 459,542 individuals. Depression was the most common psychiatric disorder in patients with cancer. Patients who received chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery had the highest cumulative burden of psychiatric disorders. Patients treated with alkylating agent chemotherapeutics had the highest burden of psychiatric disorders, whereas those treated with kinase inhibitors had the lowest burden. All mental illnesses were associated with an increased risk of subsequent self-harm, where the highest risk was observed within 12 months of the mental illness diagnosis. Patients who harmed themselves were 6.8 times more likely to die of unnatural causes of death compared with controls within 12 months of self-harm (hazard ratio (HR), 6.8; 95% confidence interval (CI), 4.3–10.7). The risk of unnatural death after 12 months was markedly lower (HR, 2.0; 95% CI, 1.5–2.7). We provide an extensive knowledge base to help inform collaborative cancer-psychiatric care initiatives by prioritizing patients who are most at risk.

Burden of psychiatric disorders in patients with cyclic vomiting syndrome - Need for aggressive screening and early intervention

Cyclic vomiting syndrome (CVS) is a debilitating disorder with stereotypical episodes of recurrent vomiting lasting from hours to days. Prior studies have shown that CVS is associated with increased psychiatric comorbid conditions both in pediatric and adult population [1,2]. Psychiatric disorders such as anxiety may have profound effect in the general well-being and may also decrease the health-related quality of life among patients with CVS [3]. Further, cognitive behavioral therapy, relaxation techniques, and psychopharmacotherapies have been proven to be helpful in treating CVS patients and implies the complex association between CVS and psychiatric disorders [4].

Burden of depression and anxiety among patients with inflammatory bowel disease: results of a nationwide analysis

The burden of psychiatric disorders is on a rise in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients which has shown to effect medication compliance and overall clinical outcomes. We studied the prevalence of depression and anxiety in IBD patients when compared to individuals with other chronic medical conditions. This is a retrospective cohort study using the United States national inpatient sample of 2016 to 2018. We identified patientencounters with a diagnosis of IBD. Our primary outcome was prevalence ofdepression and anxiety in IBD patients when compared to general adult population with other chronic medical conditions. We further studied these outcomes in subgroups of patients withulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. A total of 963,619 patient encounters were identified with the diagnosis of IBD between 2016 and 2018, of them 162,850 (16.9%) had depression and 201,685 (20.9%) had anxiety. The prevalence of depression and anxiety was significantly higher in IBD patients in comparison to general population, (16.9% vs 12.3%) and (20.9% vs 15%) respectively (p < 0.001). Association of depression and anxiety was also higher in IBD patients when compared to patients with other chronic conditions like diabetes, metastatic cancer, and coronary artery disease. Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis were independently associated with increased odds of depression andanxiety and these results were statistically significant (p < 0.001). IBD is associated with increased prevalence of depression and anxiety when compared to general population. Association of these psychiatric illnesses with IBD is significantly higher when compared to other chronic medical conditions.

Incarcerated people in prisons: A public health priority in resource-poor settings

Brazil has the third largest prison population on the planet. In this situational framework, Brazil's state prisons experience brutal riots. Here we show that, the risks of prison violence are exacerbated by a lack of opportunities for inmates once they've entered the penal system. Prisoners in Brazil do not have adequate access to healthcare services and neither is properly reached by the healthcare system. Overcrowding makes it hard for prison authorities to keep rival factions separate. The identification of the presence of mental problems when the individuals are admitted to prisons is a necessary task that may guide the adoption of measures to reduce suffering beyond the penalty of deprivation of freedom. The burden of psychiatric disorders in the prisoner's population is not known. The prevalence of major psychiatric disorders is high. Regardless of whether mental disorders are the cause or consequence of prison, it is elucidated that the stressing factors inherent to the inmate condition do not contribute to the prevention of mental disorders.

Severe mental illness and substance use disorders in prisoners in low-income and middle-income countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prevalence studies

SummaryBackgroundAlthough more than two thirds of the world's incarcerated individuals are based in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs), the burden of psychiatric disorders in this population is not known. This review provides estimates for the prevalence of severe mental illness and substance use disorders in incarcerated individuals in LMICs.MethodsFor this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched 17 electronic databases to identify prevalence studies of psychiatric disorders in prison populations in LMICs, published between January, 1987, and May, 2018. We included representative studies from general prison samples, providing information about four major psychiatric diagnoses: psychosis, major depression, alcohol use disorders, and drug use disorders. We pooled data from studies using random-effects meta-analyses and assessed the sources of heterogeneity by meta-regression. We extracted general population estimates from the Global Burden of Diseases 2016 database to calculate comparative prevalence ratios. This study is registered with PROSPERO, number CRD42015020905.FindingsWe identified 23 publications reporting prevalence estimates of severe mental illness and substance use disorders for 14 527 prisoners from 13 LMICs. In this population, the estimated pooled 1 year prevalence rates for psychosis were 6·2% (95% CI 4·0–8·6), 16·0% (11·7–20·8) for major depression, 3·8% (1·2–7·6) for alcohol use disorders, and 5·1% (2·9–7·8) for drug use disorders. We noted increased prevalence at prison intake and geographic variations for substance use disorders. For alcohol use disorders, prevalence was higher in the southeast Asian region than in the eastern Mediterranean region; and drug use disorders were more prevalent in the eastern Mediterranean region than in Europe. Prevalence ratios indicated substantially higher rates of severe mental illness and substance use disorders among prisoners than in the general population (the prevalence of non-affective psychosis was on average 16 times higher, major depression and illicit drug use disorder prevalence were both six times higher, and prevalence of alcohol use disorders was double that of the general population).InterpretationThe prevalence of major psychiatric disorders is high in prisoners in LMIC compared with general populations. As these findings are likely to reflect unmet needs, the development of scalable interventions should be a public health priority in resource-poor settings.FundingCONICYT of the Chilean government and the Wellcome Trust.

Rates, types and co-occurrence of emotional and behavioural disorders among perinatally HIV-infected youth in Uganda: the CHAKA study

To describe the rates, types and comorbidity of emotional and behavioural disorders among perinatally HIV-infected children and adolescents attending care at five HIV youth clinics in Central and Southwestern Uganda. 1339 CA-HIV attending care at HIV youth clinics in Uganda were interviewed using the DSM-5-based Child and Adolescent Symptom Inventory-5 (CASI-5; caregiver reported) and the Youth Inventory-4R (YI-4R; youth reported). Prevalence, risk factors and comorbidity for psychiatric disorders were estimated using logistic regression models. According to caregiver or youth report, the prevalence of 'any DSM-5 psychiatric disorder' was 17.4% (95% CI 15.4-19.5%), while that of 'any behavioural disorder' was 9.6% (95% CI 8.1-11.2%) and that of 'any emotional disorder' was 11.5% (95% CI 9.9-13.3%). The most prevalent behavioural disorder was attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (5.3%), while the most prevalent emotional disorder was separation anxiety disorder (4.6%). The statistically significant risk factors were: for behavioural disorders, sex (more among males than females) and age group (more among adolescents than among children); for emotional disorders, age group (more among adolescents than among children) and the caregiver's highest educational attainment (more among CA-HIV with caregivers with secondary education and higher, than among CA-HIV with caregivers with no formal education or only primary level education). About a quarter (24.5%) of CA-HIV with at least one emotional disorder and about a third (33.5%) of the CA-HIV with at least one behavioural disorder had a comorbid psychiatric disorder. There was a considerable burden of psychiatric disorders among CA-HIV that spanned a broad spectrum and showed considerable comorbidity.

Burden of Psychiatric Disorders among Pediatric and Young Adults with Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Population-Based Analysis.

PurposeThere is increasing prevalence of psychiatric disorders among inflammatory bowel Disease (IBD) population. Further, presence of psychiatric disorders has been shown as an independent predictor of quality of life among patients with IBD. We intended to explore the prevalence of various psychiatric disorders among pediatric and young adult population with IBD as a population-based analysis.MethodsWe did a retrospective case control analysis using a deidentified cloud-based database including health care data across 26 health care networks comprising of more than 360 hospitals across USA. Data collected across different hospitals were classified and stored according to Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine-Clinical Terms. We preidentified 10 psychiatric disorders and the queried the database for the presence of at least one of the ten psychiatric disorders among IBD patients between 5 and 24 years of age and compared with controls.ResultsTotal of 11,316,450 patients in the age group between 5 and 24 years and the number of patients with a diagnosis of IBD, Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis were 58,020. The prevalence of psychiatric disorders was 21.6% among IBD mainly comprising of depression and anxiety disorder. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed, IBD is 5 times more likely associated with psychiatric disorders than controls, p<0.001). We showed a steady increasing trend in the incidence of psychiatric disorders among IBD patients (2% in 2006 to 15% in 2017).ConclusionLargest population-based analysis demonstrated an increased prevalence of psychiatric disorders among IBD patients. Our study emphasizes the need for psychological and mental health services to be incorporated as a part of the routine IBD clinic.

Does initial use of benzodiazepines delay an adequate pharmacological treatment? A multicentre analysis in patients with psychotic and affective disorders.

It is established that delayed effective pharmacotherapy plays a significant role in the overall burden of psychiatric disorders, which are often treated with symptomatic drugs, that is benzodiazepines (BZDs), in relation to their rapid onset of action and safety, despite long-term side effects. We aimed to assess the influence of initial treatment with BZDs on the duration of untreated illness (DUI) and whether specific sociodemographic and clinical factors could influence the choice of BZDs as first treatment in 545 patients affected by schizophrenia, mood and anxiety spectrum disorders. Statistical analyses (one-way analysis of variance and χ) were carried out to compare patients who used BZDs as first treatment (BZD w/) and those who did not (BZD w/o). The overall DUI, irrespective of diagnosis, resulted in significantly longer in BZD w/ versus w/o patients, who also experienced more frequently anxious/depressive symptoms at onset. Furthermore, BZD w/ patients more frequently autonomously decided to look for treatment (mainly refering to psychologists or general practitioners) and experimented more frequently phobias, than BZD w/o ones. The present findings suggest that initial BZDs treatment may prolong the overall DUI, although their prescription seems to be influenced by specific sociodemographic and clinical factors. Further studies are needed to confirm the present findings.

Severe Mental Illness and Substance Use Disorders in Prisoners in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Prevalence Studies

Background: Although more than two thirds of prisoners are based in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC), the burden of psychiatric disorders is not reliably known. This review provides estimates for the prevalence of severe mental illness and substance use disorders in incarcerated individuals in LMIC. Methods: Systematic literature searches were conducted in 17 electronic databases identifying prevalence studies of psychiatric disorders in prison populations, published between January 1987 and May 2018. We pooled prevalences using random-effects meta-analyses and assessed the sources of heterogeneity by meta-regression. We extracted general population estimates from the Global Burden of Diseases 2016 database to calculate prevalence ratios. The review was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42015020905). Findings: We identified 23 publications reporting estimates for 14,527 prisoners. The pooled one-year prevalence rates were estimated to be 6·2% (95% CI 4·0-8·6) for psychosis, 16·0% (95% CI 11·7-20·8) for major depression, 3·8% (95% CI 1·2-7·6) for alcohol use disorders, and 5·1% (95% CI 2·9-7·8) for drug use disorders. We found elevated prevalences at prison intake and geographic variations for substance use disorders. Prevalence ratios indicated substantially higher rates among prisoners than in the general population. Interpretation: The prevalence of major psychiatric disorders is high in prisoners in LMIC. As these findings are likely to reflect unmet needs, the development of scalable interventions should be a public health priority in resource-poor settings. Funding: This work was funded by CONICYT of the Chilean government (FONDECYT Regular grant number 1160260 to APM) and The Wellcome Trust (grant number 202836/Z/16/Z to SF). Declaration of Interest: We declare no competing interests.

Probable psychiatric disorder in a rural community of West Bengal, India.

India faces multiple challenges to mitigate a high burden of psychiatric disorders. The risk of developing psychiatric disorder among the rural Indian population is poorly investigated. This study aims to understand the factors associated with probable psychiatric disorder (PPD) among a select rural Indian population. Data from the Birbhum population project of the society for health and demographic surveillance, West Bengal, India, were utilized. Cross-sectional data covering a sample of 31,135 respondents (male 15,384 and female 15,751) aged ≥ 16years were used. The General Health Questionnaire-28 was administered and the responses were computed into three categories: psychological case, psychological caseness, and normal. Bivariate and multivariate ordered logit regression analyses were applied to attain the study objective. Of the total population, 26% of respondents were identified with PPD. People aged ≥ 60 years, females, divorced/separated/widowed individuals, the unemployed and people with no formal education, individuals from the poorest economic group, and people with a history of selling or mortgaging assets towards their healthcare expenditure had a higher prevalence of psychiatric case within their respective group. A high burden of PPD was estimated in the select rural community. While designing an intervention for measuring and addressing psychiatric disorders, the socioeconomic gradient of PPD could be helpful.

Psychiatric disorders among adolescents from Lebanon: prevalence, correlates, and treatment gap.

Adolescence is a critical age for the development of psychiatric disorders. Although Lebanon, a low-to-middle income country, has suffered from decades of war and political instability, the burden of psychiatric disorders among adolescents in Lebanon remains unclear. This study aims to estimate the prevalence of psychiatric disorders among adolescents in the Lebanese capital, Beirut, and to study the correlates and treatment seeking behavior associated with these disorders. Through a multistage cluster sampling design, 510 adolescents, aged 11-17years were recruited from a household sample in Beirut in 2012. Parents and adolescents completed a battery of self-reported questionnaires and interviews including the Development and Well-being Assessment (DAWBA), the Peer-Relations Questionnaire (PRQ), and a demographic/clinical information questionnaire. Logistic regression models were used to study the correlates of psychiatric disorders. The 30-day prevalence of psychiatric disorders was 26.1%, with anxiety disorders (13.1%) and ADHD (10.2%) being the most prevalent disorders. Only 6% of those with disorders reported seeking professional help. Parental marital status, not attending school, having a chronic medical condition, having a family history of psychiatric disorders, as well as propensity to bullying and to being victimized by peers emerged as correlates of having psychiatric disorders. A clear treatment gap is evident with a high 30-day prevalence of psychiatric disorders among adolescents in Beirut coupled with a very low percentage seeking treatment. Scaling up mental health services and addressing potential barriers to seeking care would be important to close this gap.

Increases in multiple psychiatric disorders in parents and grandparents of patients with bipolar disorder from the USA compared with The Netherlands and Germany.

We previously found that compared with Europe more parents of the USA patients were positive for a mood disorder, and that this was associated with early onset bipolar disorder. Here we examine family history of psychiatric illness in more detail across several generations. A total of 968 outpatients (average age 41) with bipolar disorder from four sites in the USA and three in the Netherlands and Germany (abbreviated as Europe) gave informed consent and provided detailed demographic and family history information on a patient questionnaire. Family history of psychiatric illness (bipolar disorder, unipolar depression, suicide attempt, alcohol abuse, substance abuse, and other illness) was collected for each parent, four grandparents, siblings, and children. Parents of the probands with bipolar disorder from the USA compared with Europe had a significantly higher incidence of both unipolar and bipolar mood disorders, as well as each of the other psychiatric conditions listed above. With a few exceptions, this burden of psychiatric disorders was also significantly greater in the grandparents, siblings, and children of the USA versus European patients. The increased complexity of psychiatric illness and its occurrence over several generations in the families of patients with bipolar disorder from the USA versus Europe could be contributing to the higher incidence of childhood onsets and greater virulence of illness in the USA compared with Europe. These data are convergent with others suggesting increased both genetic and environmental risk in the USA, but require replication in epidemiologically-derived populations with data based on interviews of the family members.

The Prevalence, Size and Burden of Psychiatric Disorders at the Primary Health Care Visits: Too Little Time?

Aim The aim ofthis study was to assess the prevalence, size and burden of commonestpsychiatric disorders at Primary Health Care (PHC) Centres using the WHO Composite International DiagnosticInterview (WHO-CIDI) and co-morbidity. Methods A total of2,000 Qatari subjects aged 18 to 65 years were approached at PHC and 1,475 (73.3%) gaveconsent. Prevalence and severityof ICD-10 disorders were assessed with the WHO Composite InternationalDiagnostic Interview (CIDI, Version 3.0). Results The three most common disorders weremajor depression disorders (18.31%), any anxiety disorders (17.29%), any mooddisorders (16.95%), followed by separation anxiety disorders (15.25%),personality disorder (14.1%). Most of the respondentswere in the age group 35-49 years (37.8%), followed by 18-34 years (34%), then50-64 years (19.6%) and above aged 65 years old (8.5%). In the present study, prevalence in women was significantly higher thanmen for the most common psychiatric disorders, specifically generalised anxietydisorder, panic disorder, social phobia, specific phobias, obsessive compulsivedisorders, post traumatic disorder, somatisation, major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, dysthymia, and oppositional defiant disorder. Of the total 20% had only one psychiatric diagnosisand 12% had two disorders, 9.7% respondents with three diagnoses, and finally4.3% of respondents had four or more diagnoses. Conclusion One-fifth of all adults who attended the PHC Centre 20% had at least one psychiatric diagnosis. The prevalence of thegeneralized anxiety disorders; socialphobia, specific phobia, major depression, and personality disorders werethe significantly higher in women than inmen.

The prevalence and burden of psychiatric disorders in primary health care visits in qatar: too little time?

Background:Psychiatric disorders including anxiety, depression, somatization, obsessive compulsive, and bipolar disorders are recognized as causing the biggest burden of disease worldwide.Aim:In this study, we aimed to assess the prevalence and burden of common mental disorders at Primary Health Care Centers (PHCC) using the World Health Organization Composite International Diagnostic Interview (WHO-CIDI) in the Qatari population, aged 18–65 who attended Primary Health Care (PHC) settings.Design:A prospective cross-sectional study conducted during November 2011 to October 2012.Setting:Primary Health Care Centers of the Supreme Council of Health, Qatar.Subjects:A total of 2,000 Qatari subjects aged 18–65 years were approached; 1475 (73.3%) agreed to participate.Methods:Prevalence and severity of International Classification of Disease-10 disorders were assessed with the WHO-CIDI (Version 3.0).Results:Of the 1475 participants, 830 (56.3%) were females and 645 (43.7%) was males. One-third were aged 35–49 years 558 (37.8%). The three most common disorders were major depression disorders (18.31%), any anxiety disorders (17.3%), any mood disorders (16.95%), followed by separation anxiety disorders (15.25%), personality disorder (14.1%). In the present study, prevalence in women was significantly higher than men for the most common psychiatric disorders, specifically generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, social phobia, specific phobias, obsessive compulsive disorders, posttraumatic disorder, somatization, major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, dysthymia, and oppositional defiant disorder. Of the total 20% had only one psychiatric diagnosis and 12% had two disorders, 9.7% respondents with three diagnoses, and finally 4.3% of respondents had four or more diagnoses.Conclusion:One-fifth of all adults who attended the PHCC (20%) had at least one psychiatric diagnosis. The CIDI is a useful instrument for psychiatric diagnosis in community settings such as PHC clinics, clinical research and intervention studies. There is an urgent need to not only assess prevalence, but also risk factors, burden, treatment gaps and outcomes to obtain evidence for policy making.