[Are mental disorders increasing? Update of a systematic review on repeated cross-sectional studies]

Psychiatr Prax. 2013 May;40(4):176-82. doi: 10.1055/s-0032-1333060. Epub 2013 Apr 5.
[Article in German]

Abstract

Background: Throughout the western world, an increasing demand for psychiatric services is reported. However, a systematic review published in 2008 came to the conclusion that there is no sufficient evidence for increasing mental disorders in the recent decades.

Methods: A systematic review on studies with repeating cross-sectional surveys in the general population, published since 2008, was conducted.

Results: 33 study results were included into the review. The majority of publications did not report increasing mental health problems in the general population.

Conclusion: The increasing demand for psychiatric services is not associated with increasing mental disorders in the general population.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Review
  • Systematic Review

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Age Factors
  • Aged
  • Alcoholism / diagnosis
  • Alcoholism / epidemiology
  • Anxiety Disorders / diagnosis
  • Anxiety Disorders / epidemiology
  • Bipolar Disorder / diagnosis
  • Bipolar Disorder / epidemiology
  • Cross-Cultural Comparison*
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Depressive Disorder / diagnosis
  • Depressive Disorder / epidemiology
  • Europe
  • Feeding and Eating Disorders / diagnosis
  • Feeding and Eating Disorders / epidemiology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mental Disorders / diagnosis
  • Mental Disorders / epidemiology*
  • Mental Health Services / statistics & numerical data
  • Middle Aged
  • North America
  • Oceania
  • Substance-Related Disorders / diagnosis
  • Substance-Related Disorders / epidemiology
  • Utilization Review / trends
  • Young Adult