Prevalence of mood disorders in anational sample of young American adults

Abstract. Background: Availability of nationally representative mood disorderprevalence estimates in the United States, based on structuredpsychiatric interviews is limited. This report estimates overalllifetime prevalence of major depressive episode, dysthymia, andbipolar disorder using the Third National Health and NutritionExamination Survey (NHANES III) and compares these estimates tothe Epidemiologic Catchment Area Study (ECA) conducted 10 yearsearlier. Additionally, prevalence estimate breakdowns byselected sociodemographic and health characteristics areinvestigated. Methods: NHANES III, conducted from 1988 to 1994, is a largenationally representative cross-sectional sample of the UnitedStates. A population-based sample of 8,602 men and women 17–39years of age were eligible to participate, of whom 7,667 (89.1%) completed interviews. Mood disorder assessments came from theDiagnostic Interview Schedule (DIS) administered as onecomponent of the NHANES III. Results: Lifetime prevalence estimates were assessed for six moodmeasures: 1) major depressive episode (MDE) 8.6%, 2) majordepressive episode with severity (MDE-s) 7.7%, 3) dysthymia6.2%, 4) MDE-s with dysthymia 3.4%, 5) any bipolar disorder1.6%, and 6) any mood disorder 11.5%. All estimates except forMDE and MDE-s were significantly higher than comparable ECAestimates. Conclusions: These data provide recent national prevalence estimates.Based on their overall magnitudes, subgroup excesses, andobserved increases compared to the ECA, continued monitoring ofthese estimates is warranted.