Prevalence of anxiety and depressive illness and help seeking behaviour inAfrican Caribbeans and White Europeans: two phase general population survey

Objective To determine the prevalence of common mental disorders (anxiety a nd depression) and help seeking behaviour in African Caribbeans and white E uropeans. Design Two phase survey in a general population sample, The first phase com prised screening with the 12 item general health questionnaire; the second phase was standardised psychiatric assessment and interview about help seek ing. Setting People registered with four general practices in central Manchester . Participants Of 1467 people randomly selected from family health services a uthority lists, 864 were still resident 337 African Caribbeans and 275 whit e Europeans completed the screening phase (response rate 71%); 127 African Caribbeans and 103 white Europeans were interviewed in the second phase. Main outcome measures One month period prevalence of anxiety and depressive disorders in each ethnic group. Results 13% of African Caribbeans (95% confidence interval 10% to 16%) and 14% (10% to 18%) of white Europeans had one or more disorder. Anxiety disor ders were significantly less common among African Caribbeans (3% (1% to 5%) v 9% (6% to 12%) in white Europeans). Depressive disorders were significan tly more common among African Caribbean women than white women (difference 8% (1% to 15%)). Medical help seeking was similar in the two groups, but Af rican Caribbeans with mental disorders were more likely to seek additional help from non-medical sources (12/29 v 5/29, P = 0.082). Conclusions In an inner city setting the prevalence of common mental disord ers is similar in these two ethnic groups.