Preliminary report on a crosswalk from DSM-III to ICD-9-CM

The wide use of DSM-III by clinicians and researchers in the United States has led to difficulties in reporting to federal agencies, which adhere to a policy supporting the use of ICD-9-CM. To rectify this situation, three federal agencies collaborated to design a translation, or "crosswalk," from DSM-III to ICD-9-CM. The authors discuss some of the differences between the two systems, describe the development of the crosswalk, and make suggestions concerning future nosological and statistical systems.