THE EPIDEMIOLOGY OF MENTAL-DISORDERS IN SWEDEN

This article reviews some prominent features and results of research i n the field of psychiatric epidemiology in Sweden. The interest in doi ng epidemiological research has grown from an interest in genetics, an interest in social psychiatric issues, and a need to investigate the epidemiology of mental illness in the perspective of needs for care an d planning of resources for psychiatric services. The article mentions some of the early studies in epidemiology regarding psychiatric morbi dity in the community but has an emphasis on later studies, some of th em still ongoing. Investigations of prevalence of psychiatric morbidit y within the health care system have been scarce in Sweden, but result s from some of the major studies are given.