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The prevalence of minor psychiatric morbidity in the community

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2009

Robert A. Finlay-Jones  and
Peter W. Burvill
Robert A. Finlay-Jones
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Science, University of Western, Australia
Peter W. Burvill*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Science, University of Western, Australia
*
1Address for correspondence: Associate professor P.W. Burvill, University Department of Psychiatry, Scholl of Medicine, Victoria Square, Perth, Western Australia, 6000.
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Synopsis

The method is described of a point-prevalence survey of minor psychiatric morbidity among a sample of healthy community residents. The General Health Questionnaire was used as the sole means of case identification. The demographic characteristics of the sample were compared in detail with those of the total population. The factors mainly responsible for sample bias were difficulty with the English language, the varying degree of personal contact made with residents, and the difficulty in contacting the employed population during working hours. The overall response rate of the survey was 66·%. The demographic groups found to be at significantly higher risk for minor psychiatric morbidity included women, the young, non-British migrant women, and lower social class men.

Type
Research Article
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 7 , Issue 3 , August 1977 , pp. 475 - 489
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1977

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