Psychological Medicine
- Psychological Medicine / Volume 9 / Issue 02 / May 1979, pp 235-247
- Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1979
- DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0033291700030737 (About DOI), Published online: 09 July 2009
Research Article
Research directions in psychiatric epidemiology1
Alexander H. Leightona1 c1
a1 Departments of Psychiatry and Preventive Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada
Abstract
A sufficient number of studies of geographically defined populations have now been done so as to make it clear that when all the various kinds of mental illnesses are lumped together, the total prevalence rates commonly amount to 20% or more. These findings imply major challenges to theory, policy, administration, and practice in the health field, and point to a need for vastly more information and understanding. This article sketches some of the directions such investigations might take.
Correspondence:
c1 Address of correspondence: Professor Alexander H. Leighton, Department of Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada B3H 4H7.
Footnotes
1 Based on a paper presented at the Aubrey Lewis Memorial Meeting of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, 18 November 1976.
