Am J Psychiatry 1989; 146:212-219
Copyright © 1989 by American Psychiatric Association
DSM-III disorders in a large sample of psychiatric patients: frequency and specificity of diagnoses
JE Mezzich, H Fabrega Jr, GA Coffman and R Haley
Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, PA 15213.
This study examined certain nosological features of DSM-III axis I
diagnostic categories and subcategories as applied to 11,292 general
psychiatric patients presenting for care, using a semistructured assessment
procedure. The most frequently used major categories were affective,
substance use, childhood-onset, and adjustment disorders. Secondary
diagnoses were given to 26% of the patients. Male patients predominated in
the categories of impulse-control, psychosexual, and substance use
disorders, and female patients predominated in the categories of anxiety,
affective, and somatoform disorders. Of the 329 five-digit subcategories
available in DSM-III, 296 (90%) were actually used. Sixteen percent of the
patients were given unspecific primary diagnoses.
