Epidemiology of Major Mental Disorders

2 Credits.

Presents an overview of the epidemiology of anxiety and mood disorders, schizophrenia and associated syndromes, affective psychosis including bipolar disorder, and dementia and related syndromes. Prepares students who have basic knowledge of the clinical features of the syndromes, but will touch briefly on issues of assessment in the context of epidemiology. It includes the fundamentals of descriptive epidemiology for each syndrome (prevalence, incidence, natural history); consequences of the syndromes for impairment, disability, and general health; and an assessment of risk factors for the syndromes, including a discussion of the genetic epidemiology of the syndromes. Examines the special conceptual challenges for the field of epidemiology which are presented by the mental disorders.