Psychiatric epidemiological surveys in China 1960–2010: how real is the increase of mental disorders?

Given the sociopolitical turmoil that had previously plagued people in China, the dramatic rise in prevalence estimates of mental disorders in recent years cannot be simply interpreted as a substantive deterioration of mental health following rapid social change. Global and local factors that shape research methodology aimed at showing that mental disorders are common may play an important role in the dramatic increase. Future research in China should move beyond descriptive epidemiology. It should also address policy relevant issues in view of the limited resources available for mental health interventions.