ESEMeD is the first study to highlight the magnitude of mental disorders in the six European countries studied. Mental disorders were frequent, more common in female, unemployed, disabled persons, or persons who were never married or previously married. Younger persons were also more likely to have mental disorders, indicating an early age of onset for mood, anxiety and alcohol disorders.
The results suggest that mental disorders are important determinants of work role disability and quality of life, often outnumbering the impact of common chronic physical disorders.
The ESEMeD results suggest that the use of health services is limited among individuals with mental disorders in the European countries studied. The factors associated with this limited access and their implications deserve further research.
These data question the appropriateness of current pharmacological treatments, particularly for major depression, in which under-treatment is coupled with the high use of non-specific medications, such as anxiolytics.
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