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Prevalence of mental disorders in China: a cross-sectional epidemiological study
Huang Y, Wang Y, Wang H, Liu Z, Yu X, Yan J, Yu Y, Kou C et al.. The lancet. Psychiatry, 2019-02-18
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Plain-language summary
Anxiety disorders were the most common class of disorders both in the 12 months before the interview (weighted prevalence 5·0%, 4·2-5·8) and in lifetime (7·6%, 6·3-8·8). The weighted prevalence of dementia in people aged 65 years or older was 5·6% (3·5-7·6). Interpretation The prevalence of most mental disorders in China in 2013 is higher than in 1982 (point prevalence 1·1% and lifetime prevalence 1·3%), 1993 (point prevalence 1·1% and lifetime prevalence 1·4%), and 2002 (12-month prevalence 7·0% and lifetime prevalence 13·2%), but lower than in 2009 (1-month prevalence 17·5%). The evidence from this survey poses serious challenges related to the high burdens of disease identified, but also offers valuable opportunities for policy makers and health-care professionals to explore and address the factors that affect mental health in China. Funding National Health Commission of Health (Ministry of Health) and Ministry of Science and Technology of China.
What this study adds
Evidence grade: Low
This is a cross-sectional study. A national survey of mental disorders in China (data from 2013) estimated that 5·6% of people aged 65 or older had dementia, with a plausible range of 3·5–7·6%. Anxiety disorders were the most common class overall (5·0% in the past year).
Taken from this record’s own fields, not from reading the paper. The grade is assigned from the abstract’s wording; what that means.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Huang, Y., Wang, Y., Wang, H., Liu, Z., Yu, X., Yan, J., et al. (2019). Prevalence of mental disorders in China: a cross-sectional epidemiological study. The lancet. Psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1016/s2215-0366(18)30511-x
Vancouver
Huang Y, Wang Y, Wang H, Liu Z, Yu X, Yan J, et al. Prevalence of mental disorders in China: a cross-sectional epidemiological study. The lancet. Psychiatry. 2019. doi:10.1016/s2215-0366(18)30511-x. PMID: 30792114.
BibTeX
@article{huang2019-30792114,
author = {Huang, Y. and Wang, Y. and Wang, H. and Liu, Z. and Yu, X. and Yan, J. and Yu, Y. and Kou, C. and others},
title = {{Prevalence of mental disorders in China: a cross-sectional epidemiological study}},
journal = {The lancet. Psychiatry},
year = {2019},
doi = {10.1016/s2215-0366(18)30511-x},
pmid = {30792114},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/s2215-0366(18)30511-x}
}
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record's author list ends in “et al.”, so not every author is named. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
Key findings
- Anxiety disorders were the most common class of disorders both in the 12 months before the interview (weighted prevalence 5·0%, 4·2-5·8) and in lifetime (7·6%, 6·3-8·8).
- The weighted prevalence of dementia in people aged 65 years or older was 5·6% (3·5-7·6).
- Interpretation The prevalence of most mental disorders in China in 2013 is higher than in 1982 (point prevalence 1·1% and lifetime prevalence 1·3%), 1993 (point prevalence 1·1% and lifetime prevalence 1·4%), and 2002 (12-month prevalence 7·0% and lifetime prevalence 13·2%), but lower than in 2009 (1-month prevalence 17·5%).
- The evidence from this survey poses serious challenges related to the high burdens of disease identified, but also offers valuable opportunities for policy makers and health-care professionals to explore and address the factors that affect mental health in China.
- Funding National Health Commission of Health (Ministry of Health) and Ministry of Science and Technology of China.
Why it matters
A national survey of mental disorders in China (data from 2013) estimated that 5·6% of people aged 65 or older had dementia, with a plausible range of 3·5–7·6%. Anxiety disorders were the most common class overall (5·0% in the past year). It is a descriptive count of cases: it gives a baseline for how common dementia is in China but no evidence about its causes, treatment or prevention.
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Study details
- Study designcross-sectional
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 58/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a snapshot of people at one point in time. Scored zero for sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomized / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (The lancet. Psychiatry) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | The Lancet Psychiatry: journal h-index 216 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 4 / 12 | A snapshot of people at one point in time |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 2 / 5 | 2019 — within 10 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomized / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomization or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 7 / 7 | Cited 2,323 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 5 / 5 | 258.1 citations a year over 9 year(s) since 2019 |
| Impact for its field and year | 6 / 6 | Cited 286.9× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 6 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 4 / 4 | Cited 1,007 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Yue Wu: h-index 25 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Peking University: institution h-index 1,098 (OpenAlex) |
| Multicenter collaboration | 3 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 25 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 30792114) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 58 / 100 | — |
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