Bipolar I and II Disorders in a Random and Representative Australian Population

OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence of bipolar I and II disorders in an Australian population. METHOD: The Mood Disorder Questionnaire (MDQ) was administered to 3015 respondents in a random and representative sample in South Australia. Health status, quality of life and demographic data were also collected. RESULTS: There was a 2.5% lifetime prevalence of bipolar I and II disorders delineated by the MDQ. Those people had a significantly greater use of services and a poorer health status and quality of life than those who were MDQ-negative. CONCLUSIONS: These results in an Australian population are consistent with other international studies showing a greater prevalence of bipolar disorders than hitherto appreciated.