Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Lifetime and six-month prevalence of mental disorders in the Munich follow-up study

  • Original Articles
  • Published:
European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

The Lifetime and 6 month DSM-III prevalence rates of mental disorders from an adult general population sample of former West Germany are reported. The most frequent mental disorders (lifetime) from the Munich Follow-up Study were anxiety disorders (13.87%), followed by substance (13.51%) and affective (12.90%) disorders. Within anxiety disorders, simple and social phobia (8.01%) were the most common, followed by agoraphobia (5.47%) and panic disorder (2.39%). Females had about twice the rates of males for affective (18.68% versus 6.42%), anxiety (18.13% versus 9.07%), and somatization disorders (1.60% versus 0.00%); males had about three times the rates of substance disorders (21.23% versus 6.11%) of females. Being widowed and separated/divorced was associated with high rates of major depression. Most disordered subjects had at least two diagnoses (69%). The most frequent comorbidity pattern was anxietyand affective disorders. Simple and social phobia began mostly in childhood or early adolescence, whereas agoraphobia and panic disorder had a later average age of onset. The majority of the cases with both anxiety and depression had depression clearly after the occurrence of anxiety. The DIS-DSM-III findings of our study have been compared with both ICD-9 diagnoses assigned by clinicians independently as well as other epidemiological studies conducted with a comparable methodology.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Angst J, Dobler-Mikola a (1985) The Zurich study-V. Anxiety and phobia in young adults. Eur Arch Psychiatr Neurol Sci 234:408–416

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Angst J, Vollrath M, Merikangas KR, Ernst C (1990) Comorbidity of anxiety and depression in the Zurich Cohort Study of young adults. In: Maser JD, Cloninger CR (eds) Comorbidity of mood and anxiety disorders. American Psychiatric Press, Washington, D.C., pp. 123–153

    Google Scholar 

  • Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Methodik und Dokumentation in der Psychiatrie (1979) Das AMDP-System: Manual zur Dokumentation psychiatrischer Befunde (3. Aufl.) Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Bebbington P, Hurry J, Tennant C, Sturt E, Wing JK (1981) Epidemiology of mental disorders in Camberwell. Psychol Med 11:561–579

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bland RC, Orn H, Newman SC (1988a) Lifetime prevalence of psychiatric disorders in Edmonton. Acta Psychiatr Scand 77 (Suppl 338):24–32

    Google Scholar 

  • Bland RC, Newman SC, Orn H (1988b) Period prevalence of psychiatrie disorders in Edmonton. Acta Psychiatr Scand 77 (Suppl 338):33–42

    Google Scholar 

  • Bronisch T, Wittchen HU (in press) Lifetime and 6 month diagnoses of abuse and dependence of alcohol in the Munich-Follow-up Study. Eur Arch Psychiatry Neurosci

  • Burke KC, Burke JF, Reiger DA, Rae DS (1990) Age at onset of selected mental disorders in five community populations. Arch Gen Psychiatry 47:511–518

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Burnam MA, Hough RL, Escobar JL, Karno M, Timbers DM, Telles CA, Locke BZ (1987) Six-month prevalence of specific psychiatric disorders among Mexican Americans and Non-Hispanic whites in Los Angeles. Arch Gen Psychiatry 44:687–694

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Canino GS, Bird HR, Shrout PE, Rubio-Stipec M, Bravo M, Martinez R, Sesman M, Guevara LM (1987) The prevalence of specific psychiatric disorders in Puerto Rico. Arch Gen Psychiatry 44:727–735

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Christie KA, Burke JD, Regier DA, Rae DS, Boyd JH, Locke BZ (1988) Epidemiologic evidence for early onset of mental disorders and higher risk of drug abuse in young adults. Am J Psychiatry 145:971–975

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Clancy J, Noyes R, Hoenk PR, et al. (1978) Secondary depression in anxiety neurosis. J Nerv Ment Dis 166:846–850

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Clare AW, Cairns VE (1978) Design, development and use of a standardized interview to assess social maladjustment and dysfunction in community studies. Psychol Med 8:589–604

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dilling H (1980) Psychiatric and primary health services. Results of a field study. Acta Psychiatr Scand 285 (Suppl 62):147–151

    Google Scholar 

  • Endicott J, Spitzer RL, Fleiss JL, et al. (1976) A procedure for measuring overall severity of psychiatry disturbance. Arch Gen Psychiatry 33:766–771

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Faltermaier T, Wittchen HU, Ellmann R, Lässle R (1985) The Social Interview Schedule (SIS): The German version of a standardized interview to asses social maladjustment. Soc Psychiatry 20:115–124

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Feuerlein W, Küfner H, Ringer C, Antons K (1979) Münchner Alkoholismustest (MALT) Manual, Beltz, Weinheim

    Google Scholar 

  • Fischer MM (1990) Verlauf psychischer Erkrankungen in der Bevölkerung. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Hecht H, Faltermaier T, Wittchen HU (1987) Social Interview Schedule (SIS). Halbstrukturiertes Interview zur Erfassung der aktuellen sozialpsychologischen Situation. In: Wittchen, HU (ed) Materialien zur Klinischen Psychologie und Psychotherapie. Regensburg Roderer 1

  • Helzer J, Canino G (eds) (in press) Comparison of rates of alcoholism. Oxford University Press, Oxford

  • Helzer JE, Pryzbeck TR (1988) The co-occurrence of alcoholism with other psychiatric disorders in the general population and its impact on treatment. J Stud Alcohol 49:219–224

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hwu HG, Yeh EK, Chang LY (1989) Prevalence of psychiatric disorders in Taiwan defined by the Chinese Diagnostic Interview Schedule. Acta Psychiatr Scand 79:136–147

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Johnson J, Weissman MM, Klerman GL (1990) Panic disorder comorbidity, and suicide. Arch Gen Psychiatry 47:805–808

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lee CK, Kwak YS, Yamamoto J, Rhee H, Kim YS, Han JH, Choi JO, Lee YH (1990) Psychiatric epidemiology in Korea. Part II: Urban and rural differences, J Nerv Ment Dis 178(4):247–252

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Markowitz JS, Weissman MM, Quellette R, Lish J, Klerman GL (1989) Quality of life in panic disorder. Arch Gen Psychiatry 46:984–992

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Myers JK, Weisman MM, Tischler GL, Holzer CE III, Leaf PJ, Orvaschel H, Anthony JC, Boyd JH, Burke JD Jr, Kramer M, Stoltzman R (1984) Six-month prevalence of psychiatric disorders in three communities: 1980–1982. Arch Gen Psychiatry 41:959–967

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Regier DA, Narrow WE, Rae DS (1990a) The epidemiology of anxiety disorders: The Epidemiologie Catchment Area (ECA) experience. J Psychiatr Res 24(Suppl 2):3–14

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Regier DA, Farmer ME, Rae DS, Locke BZ, Keith SJ, Judd LL, Goodwin FK (1990b) Comorbidity of mental disorders with alcohol and other drug abuse. Results from the Epidemiologic Catchment Area (ECA) Study. JAMA 264(19):2511–2518

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Regier DA, Burke JD, Burke KC (1990c) Comorbidity of affective and anxiety disorders in the NIMH Epidemiological Catchement Area Program. In: Maser JD, Cloninger CR (eds) Comorbidity of Mood and Anxiety Disorders. American Psychiatrie Press, Washington, DC, pp 113–121

    Google Scholar 

  • Robins LN, Helzer JE, Croughan J, Ratcliff KF (1981) National Institute of Mental Health Diagnostic Interview Schedule: Its history, characteristics and validity. Arch Gen Psychiatry 38:381–389

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Robins LN, Helzer JE, Weissman MM, Orvaschel H, Gruenberg E, Burke JD Jr, Regier DA (1984) Litetime prevalence of specific psychiatric disorders in three sites. Arch Gen Psychiatry 41:949–958

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Schepank HGF (1983) Report of an epidemiological field study about neuroses and psychosomatic disorders. Psychother Psychosom 40:158–165

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Von Korff M, Eaton W, Keyl P (1983) The epidemiology of panic attacks and panic disorder: results of three community surveys. Am J Epidemiol 133:970–981

    Google Scholar 

  • Vollrath M, Angst J (1989) Outcome of panic disorder and depression in a seven-year follow-up results of the Zurich study. Acta Psychiatr Scand 80:591–596

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Von Zerssen D (1986) Clinical Self-Rating Scales (SCRS) of the Munich Psychiatric Information System (PSYCHIS München) In: Sartorius N, Ban TA (eds) Assessment of Depression. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, pp 270–303

    Google Scholar 

  • Weissman MM, Klerman GL (1977) Sex differences and the epidemiology of depression. Arch Gen Psychiatry 34:98–111

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wells JE, Bushnell JA, Hornblow AR, Joyce PR, Ookley-Brown MA (1989) Christchurch psychiatric epidemiology study. Part I: Methodology and lifetime prevalence for specific psychiatric disorders. Aust N Z J Psychiatry 23, 315–326

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wittchen HU (1986) Epidemiology of panic attacks and panic diorders. In: Hand I, Wittchen HU (eds) Panic and phobia. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, pp 18–28

    Google Scholar 

  • Wittchen HU (1987) Chronic difficulties and life events in the long term course of affective anxiety disorders: result from the Munich Follow-up Study. In: Angermeyer M (ed) From social class to social stress-new developments in psychiatric epidemiology, Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, pp 176–196

    Google Scholar 

  • Wittchen HU (1988) Natural course and spontaneous remissions of untreated anxiety disorders: results of the Munich Follow-up study (MFS) In: Hand I, Wittchen HU (eds) Panic and phobias 2. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, pp 3–17

    Google Scholar 

  • Wittchen HU (1991) Der Langzeitverlauf unbehandelter Angststörungen Wie häufig sind Spontanremissionen? Verhaltenstherapie 1(4):273–282

    Google Scholar 

  • Wittchen HU, Bronisch T (in press) Use, abuse, and dependence of alcohol in West Germany-Lifetime and six-month prevalence in the Munich Follow-up Study. In: Helzer J, Camino G (eds) Cross-National comparison of rates of alcoholism. Oxford University Press, Oxford

  • Wittchen HU, Essau CA (1989) Comorbidity of anxiety disorders and depression: does it affect course and outcome? Psychiatr Psychobiol 4:315–323

    Google Scholar 

  • Wittchen HU, Essau CA, Krieg C (1991) Comorbidity: Similarities and differences in treated and untreated groups. Br J Psychiatry 159 (Suppl 12):23–23

    Google Scholar 

  • Wittchen HU, Rupp HU (1981) Diagnostic Interview Schedule. German Version 2. Max Planck Institute for Psychiatry, Munich

    Google Scholar 

  • Wittchen HU, Zerssen D von (1988) Verläufe behandelter und unbehandelter Depressionen und Angststörungen—Eine klinisch-psychiatrische und epidemiologische Verlaufsuntersuchung, Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Wittchen HU, Burke J, Semler G, Pfister H, Cranach M von, Zaudig M (1989) Recall and dating reliability of psychiatric symptoms. Test-retest reliability of time related symptom questions in a Standardized Psychiatric Interview (CIDI/DIS). Arch Gen Psychiatry 46:437–443

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wittchen HU, Semler G, Zerssen D von (1985) A comparison of two diagnostic methods. Arch Gen Psychiatry 42:677–684

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Max Planck Institute for Psychiatry, Clinical Institute, Kraepelinstr. 10, W-8000, Munich 40, Germany

    Hans-Ulrich Wittchen, Cecilia Ahmoi Essau, Detlev von Zerssen, Jürgen-Christian Krieg & Michael Zaudig

Authors
  1. Hans-Ulrich Wittchen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Cecilia Ahmoi Essau
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Detlev von Zerssen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Jürgen-Christian Krieg
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Michael Zaudig
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Wittchen, HU., Essau, C.A., von Zerssen, D. et al. Lifetime and six-month prevalence of mental disorders in the Munich follow-up study. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Nuerosci 241, 247–258 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02190261

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02190261

Key words

Search

Navigation