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Context: The scarcity of cross-national reports and the changes in Diagnostic and Statistical Manual version 5 (DSM-5) regarding panic disorder (PD) and panic attacks (PAs) call for new epidemiological data on PD and PAs and its subtypes in the general population., Objective: To present representative data about the cross-national epidemiology of PD and PAs in accordance with DSM-5 definitions., Design and Setting: Nationally representative cross-sectional surveys using the World Health Organization Composite International Diagnostic Interview version 3.0., Participants: Respondents (n = 142,949) from 25 high, middle, and lower-middle income countries across the world aged 18 years or older., Main Outcome Measures: PD and presence of single and recurrent PAs., Results: Lifetime prevalence of PAs was 13.2% (SE 0.1%). Among persons that ever had a PA, the majority had recurrent PAs (66.5%; SE 0.5%), while only 12.8% fulfilled DSM-5 criteria for PD. Recurrent PAs were associated with a subsequent onset of a variety of mental disorders (OR 2.0; 95% CI 1.8-2.2) and their course (OR 1.3; 95% CI 1.2-2.4) whereas single PAs were not (OR 1.1; 95% CI 0.9-1.3 and OR 0.7; 95% CI 0.6-0.8). Cross-national lifetime prevalence estimates were 1.7% (SE 0.0%) for PD with a median age of onset of 32 (IQR 20-47). Some 80.4% of persons with lifetime PD had a lifetime comorbid mental disorder., Conclusions: We extended previous epidemiological data to a cross-national context. The presence of recurrent PAs in particular is associated with subsequent onset and course of mental disorders beyond agoraphobia and PD, and might serve as a generic risk marker for psychopathology., (© 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Objective: To explore the consequences of using the Short-Forum Health Survey (SF-12) and the RAND-12 Health Status Inventory (RAND-12) for estimation of associations between its component scores and the levels of well-being and psychological distress., Methods: Data from a rural community mental health survey of 5641 participants were analysed. Physical and mental health component scores of the SF-12 and RAND-12 were compared between participants with different rating on the Satisfaction with Life Scale and the Kessler-10. Descriptive graphical methods were utilized to explore the relationship between SF-12 and RAND-12 components scores against well-being and psychological distress. Proportional odds model was utilized to estimate the quantitative relationship between component scores of the SF-12 and RAND-12 against categories of well-being and psychological distress., Results: Both SF-12 and RAND-12 component scores were generally positively associated with well-being and negatively associated with psychological distress. Median scores were similar despite scoring techniques used. However, distribution of scores differed whereby the RAND-12 yielded wider spread of scores in measures of well-being and psychological distressed when compared to the SF-12. A larger proportion of participants was classified as having moderate and severe disability under the RAND-12 compared to the SF-12., Conclusion: It is recommended that users of the SF-12 and the RAND-12 are aware of the implications of utilizing either of the scoring techniques. Scoring techniques used should ideally be based on the theoretical basis of the study with consideration of the target population. Researchers may wish to use the SF-12 if distinct uncorrelated physical and mental constructs are required and for studies on clinical populations. In contrast, RAND-12 should be used if correlated physical and mental constructs are required and if the study is on community or general populations.

It is unclear whether differences exist in the prevalence of mood, anxiety and alcohol use disorders among persons with multiple pain conditions compared with those with single pain problems. We conducted population surveys in 17 countries in Europe, the Americas, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and the South Pacific. Participants were community-dwelling adults (N=85,088). Mental disorders were assessed with the Composite International Diagnostic Interview. Pain was assessed by self-report. Both multiple and single site pain problems were associated with mood and anxiety disorders, but not with alcohol abuse or dependence. In general, the prevalence of specific mood and anxiety disorders followed a linear pattern with the lowest rates found among persons with no pain, intermediate rates among those with one pain, and highest rates among those with multi-site pain problems. Relative to persons not reporting pain, the pooled estimates of the age-sex adjusted odds ratios were 1.8 (1.7-2.0) for mood disorders and 1.9 (1.8-2.1) for anxiety disorders for persons with single site pain; 3.7 (3.3-4.1) for mood disorders and 3.6 (3.3-4.0) for anxiety disorders among those with multi-site pain. Our results indicate that the presence of multiple pain conditions was strongly and comparably associated with mood and anxiety disorders in diverse cultures. This consistent pattern of associations suggests that diffuse pain and psychiatric disorders are generally associated, rather than diffuse pain representing an idiom for expressing distress that is specific to particular cultural settings or diffuse pain solely representing a form of masked depression.

Objective: To ascertain the relationship between subjective well-being and sociodemographic factors, mental and physical health of a sample of rural residents. Design: Cross-sectional survey with stratified random sampling of persons based on the 2000 State Electoral Role. Questionnaire was forwarded to 23 000 residents throughout a rural area. Setting: Households within Gippsland. Participants: Five thousand three hundred and ninety-one adults aged 18 years and above. Main outcome measures: Residents completed a self-reported questionnaire assessing life satisfaction/subjective well-being, psychological distress, sociodemographic factors, physical and mental health problems. Results: Completed survey indicated that participants with lower levels of psychological distress, physical disability and mental disability had higher odds of being satisfied with their life. Participants with severe mental disability had the lowest odds of being satisfied with life. On average, participants were satisfied with their life (mean score of 21, SD = 5.9), are within the normal range of the Kessler-10 (mean score = 16.31, SD = 5.85), had no mental disability (mean score = 51.8, SD = 7.36) on the mental component of the Short Form-12 Health Survey, but are mildly physically disabled (mean score = 48.9, SD = 7.74). Conclusions: The results of this study indicate that sociodemographic factors, psychological distress, physical health and mental health contribute to subjective well-being. Compared with other age groups, those aged 66 years and above had the highest level of life satisfaction. Those living with partner/spouse without children, with no mental or physical disability and no psychological distress had highest level of life satisfaction. Women also had higher levels of life satisfaction compared with men. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]