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Prevalence of mental disorders in primary care: results from the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders in primary care study (DASMAP)

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Abstract

Objective

Previous epidemiological studies have revealed a high prevalence of mental disorders among primary care (PC) patients. However, most studies have methodological limitations (e.g. absence of structured clinical interviews, two-phase designs) that affect the generalizability of their results. The main objective of the present study was to estimate the lifetime and 12-month prevalence of mental disorders in the PC of Catalonia (Spain), using structured clinical interviews and a one-phase design.

Methods

One-phase cross-sectional survey. A representative probability sample without replacement of individuals aged 18 years or older attending PC for a medical visit were interviewed between October 2005 and March 2006. The interviews included SCID-I for depressive and anxiety disorders and the MINI interview for other mental disorders. A total of 3,815 patients from 77 PC centres were included in the statistical analyses.

Results

45.1% of respondents reported at least one lifetime mental disorder and 30.2% reported at least one mental disorder in the previous 12 months. The most common mental disorders were major depression (9.6%), panic disorder (7.0%), specific phobia (6.6%), and generalized anxiety disorder (3.8%). There was a high comorbidity between mood and anxiety disorders, as well as between mental disorders and some chronic physical conditions.

Conclusions

There is a high prevalence and comorbidity of mental disorders in the PC of Catalonia. Public health policies should reinforce the role of family physicians in the detection and treatment of persons with mental disorders.

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Acknowledgments

We are indebted to the family physicians and patients who participated in this study. We are also very grateful to Ms. Cristina Molina, from the “Departament de Salut-Generalitat de Catalunya”, who conceived the DASMAP study. Support: Study funded by the “Direcció General de Planificació i Avaluació Sanitària-Departament de Salut-Generalitat de Catalunya” (Barcelona, Spain). AF and JVL are grateful to the “Ministerio de Sanidad y Consumo, Instituto de Salud Carlos III” (Red RD06/0018/0017) for a predoctoral and a postdoctoral contract, respectively.

Conflict of interest statement

None.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research and Development Unit, Sant Joan de Déu - Serveis de Salut Mental, Red de Investigación en Actividades Preventivas y Promoción de la Salud en Atención Primaria (RedIAPP), C/Doctor Antoni Pujadas 42, 08830, Sant Boi de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain

    Antoni Serrano-Blanco, Juan V. Luciano, Alejandra Pinto-Meza, Leila Luján & Ana Fernández

  2. Servei de Psiquiatria, Corporació Sanitaria Parc Taulí, Sabadell, Spain

    Diego J. Palao

  3. Servei d’Epidemiologia Clínica, Hospital General de Vic, Fundació d’Osona per la Recerca i els Estudis Sanitaris (FORES), Vic, Barcelona, Spain

    Pere Roura

  4. Sant Joan de Déu - Serveis de Salut Mental, Fundació Sant Joan de Déu, Sant Boi de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain

    Jordan Bertsch

  5. Direcció General de Planificació i Avaluació Sanitària, Departament de Salut, Generalitat de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain

    Mercè Mercader

  6. Sant Joan de Déu - Serveis de Salut Mental, Fundació Sant Joan de Déu, CIBERSAM (Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Salud Mental), Sant Boi de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain

    Josep M. Haro

Authors
  1. Antoni Serrano-Blanco
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  2. Diego J. Palao
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  3. Juan V. Luciano
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  4. Alejandra Pinto-Meza
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  5. Leila Luján
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  6. Ana Fernández
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  7. Pere Roura
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  8. Jordan Bertsch
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  9. Mercè Mercader
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  10. Josep M. Haro
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Antoni Serrano-Blanco.

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Serrano-Blanco, A., Palao, D.J., Luciano, J.V. et al. Prevalence of mental disorders in primary care: results from the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders in primary care study (DASMAP). Soc Psychiat Epidemiol 45, 201–210 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-009-0056-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-009-0056-y

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