The current status of urban-rural differences in psychiatric disorder. An emerging trend for depression.

Evidence for differences in rates of psychiatric disorder by size of community is examined. Epidemiological studies reporting rates for specific diagnoses (treated and untreated) as well as those making only global assessments of psychiatric caseness are examined. An interesting trend toward higher rates of depressive disorders (excluding manic-depressive psychosis) in urban areas emerges. Differences in the availability of social support in communities in varying size is proposed as a possible explanation for this finding.