Little is known about the general population prevalence or severity of DSM-IV mental
disorders.
To estimate 12-month prevalence, severity, and comorbidity of DSM-IV anxiety, mood,
impulse control, and substance disorders in the recently completed US National Comorbidity
Survey Replication.
Nationally representative face-to-face household survey conducted between February
2001 and April 2003 using a fully structured diagnostic interview, the World Health
Organization World Mental Health Survey Initiative version of the Composite International
Diagnostic Interview.
Nine thousand two hundred eighty-two English-speaking respondents 18 years and older.
Twelve-month DSM-IV disorders.
Twelve-month prevalence estimates were anxiety, 18.1%; mood, 9.5%; impulse control,
8.9%; substance, 3.8%; and any disorder, 26.2%. Of 12-month cases, 22.3% were classified
as serious; 37.3%, moderate; and 40.4%, mild. Fifty-five percent carried only a single
diagnosis; 22%, 2 diagnoses; and 23%, 3 or more diagnoses. Latent class analysis detected
7 multivariate disorder classes, including 3 highly comorbid classes representing
7% of the population.
Although mental disorders are widespread, serious cases are concentrated among a relatively
small proportion of cases with high comorbidity.