DIFFERENTIAL PATTERNS OF MENTAL-DISORDERS AMONG THE HOMELESS IN MADRID (SPAIN) AND LOS-ANGELES (USA)

In this paper we compare rates of mental disorders (major depression, dysthymia, cognitive impairment, and schizophrenia) among homeless peo ple in Madrid and Los Angeles (LA) and examine the ordering of the ons et of both conditions (i.e., homelessness and mental disorders). In th e Madrid study, 262 homeless persons were interviewed using the CIDI. In the LA study. 1563 homeless persons were interviewed with the DIS. To make an item-by-item comparison, we combined the databases from bot h studies to submit a single database to statistical analyses. Results showed no significant differences in DSM-III-R life-time prevalence r ates of mental disorders between both samples. However, the Madrid sam ple showed higher 12-month prevalence rates of dysthymia and cognitive impairment as compared to the LA sample. Most subjects across both ci ties first experienced symptoms of their mental disorders before first becoming homeless. The only significant difference was that all of th e depressed adults in Madrid experienced depression prior to first bec oming homeless, whereas this was the case for only 59.1% of LA depress ed homeless people. We discuss the reasons for these cultural differen ces and their implications for cross-national public health research a nd intervention.