Psychiatric disorders in Mexico: Lifetime prevalence in a nationally representative sample

BACKGROUND: No national data on lifetime prevalence and risk factors for DSM-IV psychiatric disorders are available in Mexico. AIMS: To present data on lifetime prevalence and projected lifetime risk, age at onset and demographic correlates of DSM-IV psychiatric disorders assessed in the Mexican National Comorbidity Survey. METHOD: The survey was based on a multistage area probability sample of non-institutionalised people aged 18-65 years in urban Mexico. The World Mental Health Survey version of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview was administered by lay interviewers. RESULTS: Of those surveyed, 26.1% had experienced at least one psychiatric disorder in their life and 36.4% of Mexicans will eventually experience one of these disorders. Half of the population who present with a psychiatric disorder do so by the age of 21 and younger cohorts are at greater risk for most disorders. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest an urgent need to re-evaluate the resources allocated for the detection and treatment of psychiatric illnesses in Mexico.