Prevalence of minor psychiatric disorders in an adult African rural community in South Africa

Background. This paper reports on a two-stage community-based epidemiological study of selected minor psychiatric disorders conducted on an adult African population in South Africa. Methods. Using a modified random cluster sampling method, 354 adults were identified as the first-stage sample, with the SRQ-20 being used as a first-stage screen. Clinical interviews based on DSM-IV checklists for generalized anxiety disorder, major depression and dysthymia were administered as the second-stage criterion to 81 subjects from the sample. Results. The weighted prevalence for generalised anxiety and depressive disorders was 23·9% (95% CI 15·1%–32·7%), comprising: generalized anxiety 3·7%, major depression 4·8%, dysthymia 7·3%, and major depression and dysthymia 8·2%. Statistically significant associations were found between caseness and age, marital status, employment, income and educational level. Conclusions. The results are discussed in relation to comparative local and international data as well as in the context of the current restructuring of the mental-health care system in South Africa from tertiary curative care to integrated primary mental-health care.