• Media type: E-Article
  • Title: Impact of Substance-Induced and General Medical Condition Exclusion Criteria on the Prevalence of Common Mental Disorders as Defined by the CIDI
  • Contributor: Sunderland, Matthew; Slade, Tim; Anderson, Tracy M.; Peters, Lorna
  • imprint: SAGE Publications, 2008
  • Published in: Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry
  • Language: English
  • DOI: 10.1080/00048670802345508
  • ISSN: 0004-8674; 1440-1614
  • Keywords: Psychiatry and Mental health ; General Medicine
  • Origination:
  • Footnote:
  • Description: <jats:p> Objectives: It has been previously argued that the methodology used by the Composite International Diagnostic Interview version 2.1 to assess the substance-induced and general medical condition exclusion criteria are inadequate. As a result prevalence estimates generated from epidemiological studies using this interview may be underestimated. The purpose of the current study was to examine the substance-induced and general medical condition exclusion criteria in the Australian National Survey for Mental Health and Well-being and determine the impact that they have on prevalence estimates of the common mental disorders. </jats:p><jats:p> Method: Data from the 1997 Australian National Survey of Mental Health and Well-being were analysed. Frequencies were generated as an indication of how many respondents believed that their psychiatric symptoms were always due to a substance or general medical condition. New DSM-IV prevalence estimates were calculated ignoring the application of the substance-induced and general medical condition exclusion criteria and compared to standard DSM-IV prevalence estimates. </jats:p><jats:p> Results: The effect of the substance-induced and general medical condition exclusion criteria on final prevalence rates were minimal, with approximately a 0.1% increase when the exclusions were ignored. This equates to a relative difference ranging from no difference for generalized anxiety disorder to an increase of 12% of the base prevalence estimate for agoraphobia. </jats:p><jats:p> Conclusions: In surveys that use the Composite International Diagnostic Interview version 2.1 the substance-induced and general medical condition exclusion criteria have a minor impact on determining final case definition in the majority of mental disorders. </jats:p>