Introduction: ESEMeD is the first international epidemiological study using a random sampling method that has allowed the prevalence of psychiatric disorders in France to be measured with precision and compared directly with that observed in other European countries.
Objectives: 1) To determine the 12 month and lifetime prevalence of mood -disorders, anxiety disorders and alcohol-related disorders. 2) To estimate the comorbidity between these disorders. 3) To evaluate potential demographic risk factors for these disorders.
Methods: This was a transversal survey carried out between 2001 and 2003 of non-institutionalised subjects aged 18 or over in the general population of Germany (n = 3,555), Belgium (n = 2,419), Spain (n = 5,473), France (n = 2,894), the Netherlands (n = 2,372) and Italy (n = 4,712). In France, the sampling source was a randomly generated list of telephone numbers. Subjects were interviewed at home by professional interviewers. The WMH-CIDI questionnaire was used.
Results: The participation rate was 46% for France and 61% for all six countries combined. The 12 month and lifetime prevalence rates observed were respectively 6.0% and 21,4% for major depressive episodes, 1.6% and 7.9% for dysthymia, 2.1% and 6.0% for the generalised -anxiety disorders, 1.2% and 3.0% for panic disorders, 0.6% and 1.8% for agoraphobia, 2.2% and 3.9% for post-traumatic stress disorder, 1.7% and 4.7% for social phobia, 4.7% and 11,6% for specific phobia, 0.5% and 4.1% for alcohol abuse and 0.3% and 1.6% for alcohol dependence. Mood disorders and anxiety disorders were significantly more frequent in women, whilst alcohol-related disorders were more frequent in men. The prevalence of all three types of disorder was lower in elderly subjects and in those living in a rural environment. Mood disorders and alcohol-related disorders were more frequent in individuals living alone and mood disorders more frequent in those without paid employment. 38% of subjects with mood disorder also presented an anxiety disorder or an alcohol-related disorder. The comorbidity of mood and anxiety disorders was more frequent in women, younger subjects and those living alone. The comorbidity rate in subjects with anxiety disorders was 26% and did not differ between genders. For alcohol-related disorders, there was a striking difference in comorbidity rate between men and women: 26% in the former and 67% in the latter.
Conclusion: This study underlines the high prevalence of mood disorders, anxiety disorders and alcohol-related disorders in France and demonstrates a high degree of comorbidity between them. For this reason, it is important to evaluate and take into account potential comorbidity in the management of individuals with psychiatric disorders.