ABSTRACT
The data from recent comprehensive epidemiologic studies make it dramatically clear that psychiatric disorders represent a highly prevalent phenomenon in contemporary society. The benchmark NIMH Epidemiologic Catchment Area (ECA) Study (Meyers et al., 1984; Regier, Boyd, et al., 1988; Robins et al., 1984) demonstrated conclusively that psychiatric disorder is pervasive throughout the United States. Similar rates of disorder were observed in Europe and in Australia (Regier, Boyd, et al., 1988). Estimates of occurrence in medical populations place prevalence rates substantially higher than community estimates. Barrett, Barrett, Oxman, and Gerber (1988) reported rates of between 25% and 30% in their research, whereas Derogatis and Wise (1989) in their review summarized overall rates at between 22% and 33%. Similar rates were reported more recently by Hansson, Nettelbladt, Borgquist, and Nordstrom (1994) and Olfson et al. (1993). The large majority of these conditions are comprised of anxiety and depressive disorders (Derogatis et al., 1983; Von Korff, Dworkin, LeResche, & Kruger, 1988), which can be difficult to identify and diagnose.
