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Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology
Published in: Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology 4/2010

01-04-2010 | Original Paper

The prevalence of personality disorder, its comorbidity with mental state disorders, and its clinical significance in community mental health teams

Authors: Giles Newton-Howes, Peter Tyrer, Katina Anagnostakis, Sylvia Cooper, Owen Bowden-Jones, Tim Weaver

Published in: Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology | Issue 4/2010

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Abstract

Background

Personality status is seldom assessed in community mental health teams except at a rudimentary level. This study challenges the assumption that this policy is either prudent or wise.

Aims

To measure the prevalence of personality disorder within community mental health teams and to investigate its relationship to mental state disorders and overall pathology.

Method

A cross-sectional survey of 2,528 of 2,567 psychiatric patients (98.5%) managed by community mental health teams in four urban settings in the UK in which diagnoses of personality and mental state pathology were assessed separately. Of these, a sample of 400 was interviewed, with a 70.5% completion rate for more in depth information.

Results

In total, 40% of all patients in secondary care suffered from at least one personality disorder. Regression modelling showed personality pathology accounted for a greater degree of global psychopathology than psychosis, alcohol or drug dependence, but was associated with anxiety disorders.

Conclusion

Comorbid personality pathology contributes greatly to overall psychopathology in secondary psychiatric care. It should be both recognised and managed.
Appendix
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Metadata
Title
The prevalence of personality disorder, its comorbidity with mental state disorders, and its clinical significance in community mental health teams
Authors
Giles Newton-Howes
Peter Tyrer
Katina Anagnostakis
Sylvia Cooper
Owen Bowden-Jones
Tim Weaver
Publication date
01-04-2010
Publisher
Springer-Verlag
Published in
Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology / Issue 4/2010
Print ISSN: 0933-7954
Electronic ISSN: 1433-9285
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-009-0084-7

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