Fast Facts Mental Disorders are Leading Causes of Disability Adults with Mental Disorders Adults with Anxiety Disorders Women with Anxiety Disorder African Americans and Racial Stress Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in Native Americans and Alaskan Natives References Mental health disorders include depression, anxiety disorders, panic disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, and social phobias.  Approximately 20% of the U.S. population suffers from some type of mental health disorder and mental health disorders are more common among women than men. Some disorders, such as post traumatic stress disorder, affect immigrant and refugee populations more heavily than non-displaced persons. Mental health services are limited in rural areas and cultural and linguistic barriers play a role in the access of mental health care for many communities.           Fast Facts Approximately 19.1 million American adults ages 18 to 54, or about 13.3 % of people in this age group, have an anxiety disorder in a given year.(1)   Anxiety disorders frequently co-occur with depressive disorders, eating disorders, or substance abuse.(2, 3)   Many people have more than one anxiety disorder.(4)   An estimated 22.1 % of Americans ages 18 and older—about 1 in 5 adults—suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder in a given year.(2)   Four of the 10 leading causes of disability in the U.S. and other developed countries are mental disorders:(5) major depression bipolar disorder schizophrenia obsessive-compulsive disorder Adults with Mental Disorders An estimated 22.1% of Americans ages 18 and older—about 1 in 5 adults—suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder in a given year.(2) Back to Top Adults with Anxiety Disorders Approximately 19.1 million American adults ages 18 to 54, or about 13.3% of people in this age group in a given year, have an anxiety disorder.(1) Women with Anxiety Disorders Women are more likely than men to have an anxiety disorder. Approximately twice as many women as men suffer from panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, agoraphobia, and specific phobia, though about equal numbers of women and men have obsessive-compulsive disorder and social phobia.(4,6,7) Back to Top African Americans and Racial Stress In an effort to evaluate patterns of coping in racially stressful situations, researchers at Cleveland State University studied the responses of whites and African Americans. The African American subjects reported more incidents of racial stress than whites due to more frequent experiences with discrimination. Further, when experiencing racial stress, both African Americans and whites noted a reduction in the ability to solve problems and seek social support.(8) Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in American Indians and Alaskan Natives The rates of post-traumatic stress disorder in American Indian and Alaska Native veterans are high, but few appropriate mental health services are available for the population, according to a study conducted by the National Center for American Indian and Alaska Native Mental Health Research. The findings revealed that the current services for American Indian veterans rank low in availability, accessibility, and acceptability, said Spero Manson, PhD, director of the center.(8) Back to Top References 1. Narrow WE, Rae DS, Regier DA. NIMH epidemiology note: prevalence of anxiety disorders. One-year prevalence best estimates calculated from ECA and NCS data. Population estimates based on U.S. Census estimated residential population age 18 to 54 on July 1, 1998. Unpublished. 2. Regier DA, Rae DS, Narrow WE, et al. Prevalence of anxiety disorders and their comorbidity with mood and addictive disorders. British Journal of Psychiatry Supplement, 1998; (34): 24-8. 3. Wonderlich SA, Mitchell JE. Eating disorders and comorbidity: empirical, conceptual, and clinical implications. Psychopharmacology Bulletin, 1997; 33(3): 381-90. 4. Robins LN, Regier DA, eds. Psychiatric disorders in America: the Epidemiologic Catchment Area Study. New York: The Free Press, 1991. 5. Murray CJL, Lopez AD, eds. Summary: The global burden of disease: a comprehensive assessment of mortality and disability from diseases, injuries, and risk factors in 1990 and projected to 2020. Cambridge, MA: Published by the Harvard School of Public Health on behalf of the World Health Organization and the World Bank, Harvard University Press, 1996. http://www.who.int/msa/mnh/ems/dalys/intro.htm 6. Bourdon KH, Boyd JH, Rae DS, et al. Gender differences in phobias: results of the ECA community survey. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 1988; 2:227-41. 7. Davidson JR. Trauma: the impact of post-traumatic stress disorder. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 2000; 14(2 Suppl 1):S5-S12. 8. Mental Health and Minorities: Coping with Racial Stress. Closing the Gap. Office of Minority Health Resource Center: Washington DC, September 1997. http://www.omhrc.gov/ctg/full-mhm.htm#mhm-02 This research was supported by a National Library of Medicine (NLM) Publication Grant #5G08 LM07653-02 in support of the creation of a web site titled Factline: Tracking Health in Underserved Communities, www.factline.org. Saqi S. Maleque, MSPH, Researcher, Principal Investigator: Virginia Brennan, PhD.