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Brazilian multicentric study of psychiatric morbidity

Methodological features and prevalence estimates

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

Naomar Almeida-Filho ,
Jair De Jesus Mari ,
Evandro Coutinho ,
Josimar Farias França ,
Jefferson Fernandes ,
Sérgio Baxter Andreoli  and
Ellis D'Arrigo Busnello
Naomar Almeida-Filho*
Affiliation:
Instituto de Saúde Coletiva at the Federal University of Bahia and the National Research Council of Brazil (CNPq)
Jair De Jesus Mari
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Medical Psychology at the Medical School of the Federal University of São Paulo, and the CNPq
Evandro Coutinho
Affiliation:
Department of Epidemiology, National School of Public Health, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz
Josimar Farias França
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Brasília
Jefferson Fernandes
Affiliation:
Department of Neurology of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul
Sérgio Baxter Andreoli
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Medical Psychology, Medical School of the Federal University of São Paulo
Ellis D'Arrigo Busnello
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul
*
Professor N. Almeida-Filho, Instituto de Saúde Coletiva, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Rua Padre Feijo 29-4. Andar, Campus Canela, Salvador-Bahia, Brazil 40210-270
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Abstract

Background

Psychiatric morbidity studies in developing countries have used diagnostic procedures of low reliability, without a clinical definition of caseness, producing descriptive data with limited application for mental health planning.

Method

A two-stage cross-sectional design (with a sample size of 6476) was conducted to estimate the prevalence of DSM–III psychiatric diagnoses in three metropolitan areas of Brazil (Brasília, São Paulo and Porto Alegre). All subjects were screened for the presence of psychopathology with a 44-item instrument (the QMPA) and a subsample was selected for a psychiatric interview.

Results

Age-adjusted prevalence of cases potentially in need of care ranged from 19% (São Paulo) to 34% (Brasília and Porto Alegre). Anxiety disorders comprised the highest prevalences (up to 18%). Alcoholism yielded the most consistent prevalence levels, around 8% in all sites. Depression showed great variation between areas: from less than 3% (São Paulo and Brasília) to 10% (Porto Alegre)

Conclusions

Overall prevalences were high in comparison with previous studies conducted in Brazil. A female excess of non-psychotic disorders (anxiety, phobias, somatisation and depression) and a male excess for alcoholism were consistently found.

Type
Papers
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 171 , Issue 6 , December 1997 , pp. 524 - 529
Copyright
Copyright © 1997 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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