D Richter1,2, A Wall3, A Bruen3, R Whittington3,4. 1. Bern University Hospital for Mental Health, Centre for Psychiatric Rehabilitation, Bern, Switzerland. 2. Department of Health Professions, Bern University of Applied Sciences, Bern, Switzerland. 3. Institute of Psychology, Health and Society, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK. 4. Brøset Centre for Research & Education in Forensic Psychiatry, St. Olav's Hospital and Institute of Mental Health, Norwegian University of Science & Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: The question whether mental illness prevalence rates are increasing is a controversially debated topic. Epidemiological articles and review publications that look into this research issue are often compromised by methodological problems. The present study aimed at using a meta-analysis technique that is usually applied for the analysis of intervention studies to achieve more transparency and statistical precision. METHODS: We searched PubMed, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Google Scholar and reference lists for repeated cross-sectional population studies on prevalence rates of adult mental illness based on ICD- or DSM-based diagnoses, symptom scales and distress scales that used the same methodological approach at least twice in the same geographical region. The study is registered with PROSPERO (CRD42018090959). RESULTS: We included 44 samples from 42 publications, representing 1 035 697 primary observations for the first time point and 783 897 primary observations for the second and last time point. Studies were conducted between 1978 and 2015. Controlling for a hierarchical data structure, we found an overall global prevalence increase in odds ratio of 1.179 (95%-CI: 1.065-1.305). A multivariate meta-regression suggested relevant associations with methodological characteristics of included studies. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that the prevalence increase in adult mental illness is small, and we assume that this increase is mainly related to demographic changes.
OBJECTIVES: The question whether mental illness prevalence rates are increasing is a controversially debated topic. Epidemiological articles and review publications that look into this research issue are often compromised by methodological problems. The present study aimed at using a meta-analysis technique that is usually applied for the analysis of intervention studies to achieve more transparency and statistical precision. METHODS: We searched PubMed, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Google Scholar and reference lists for repeated cross-sectional population studies on prevalence rates of adult mental illness based on ICD- or DSM-based diagnoses, symptom scales and distress scales that used the same methodological approach at least twice in the same geographical region. The study is registered with PROSPERO (CRD42018090959). RESULTS: We included 44 samples from 42 publications, representing 1 035 697 primary observations for the first time point and 783 897 primary observations for the second and last time point. Studies were conducted between 1978 and 2015. Controlling for a hierarchical data structure, we found an overall global prevalence increase in odds ratio of 1.179 (95%-CI: 1.065-1.305). A multivariate meta-regression suggested relevant associations with methodological characteristics of included studies. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that the prevalence increase in adult mental illness is small, and we assume that this increase is mainly related to demographic changes.
Authors: Timo Beeker; China Mills; Dinesh Bhugra; Sanne Te Meerman; Samuel Thoma; Martin Heinze; Sebastian von Peter Journal: Front Psychiatry Date: 2021-06-04 Impact factor: 4.157