The Burden of Mental Disorders

This chapter briefly describes the features of seventeen major mental disorders and summarizes current data on the burden of disease associated with each. Key diagnostic features of six selected disorders are based on the fourth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. This review expands upon the range of mental disorders considered in the Global Burden of Disease study, updates the literature, and provides information on the range and depth of sources of information on burden. To the extent possible, the chapter builds on existing reviews that most often focused on a single disorder. The examination of prevalence for each disorder presents essential summary data, including the number of studies conducted, the median prevalence or relative risk, and the interquartile range.