We aimed to provide prevalence data on depression and other current mental disorders, impairment, need of psychiatric care and use of mental health services among young adults.
Based on a semi-structured clinical interview, current DSM-IV disorders, impairment, need of psychiatric care and use of mental health services were evaluated in a sample of 20-24-year-old young urban adults (N = 245), mean age 21.8, screened from a baseline population of 706. One-month prevalence estimates for disorders were calculated by the double sampling method, using various additional criteria to identify cases.
One in four young adults (23.8%) suffered from a current mental disorder, the most prevalent being depressive (10.8%), anxiety (6.9%), substance use (6.2%) and personality disorders (6.0%). Prevalence estimates varied substantially according to the use of additional diagnostic criteria. Impairment (GAF