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Psychiatric morbidity in Berlevåg
Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica. Supplementum
|January 1, 1975
Summary
Psychiatric morbidity in Berlevåg is lower than previously estimated, with unregistered cases often being mild neurotic states. Many of these may fall within normal variation, suggesting lower actual psychiatric illness rates.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Previous surveys indicated high psychiatric morbidity in Berlevåg.
- Life prevalence estimates varied between surveys.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the actual point prevalence of psychiatric morbidity in Berlevåg.
- To identify characteristics of unregistered psychiatric cases.
Main Methods:
- Review of psychiatric cases seen by public health officers (1973).
- Fieldwork by psychiatrists (1974).
Main Results:
- Estimated point prevalence of psychiatric morbidity is less than 20%.
- Unregistered cases primarily involve borderline neurotic states.
- These borderline cases are often considered within normal variation by clinicians.
Conclusions:
- Actual psychiatric morbidity in Berlevåg may be lower than previously reported.
- A significant portion of undiagnosed cases represent mild neurotic conditions.
- Diagnostic criteria and perception of normal variation influence prevalence estimates.