Saturday, August 15, 2009

Statistics

Recently I posted questions about some stats regarding mental disorders. Even after I put away my notes with the answers to the question, I had a difficult time answering them. I didn't get the right answers. The results are shoking

The correct answers are as follows,
-Over the last 19 yrs, what percentage of North Americans have been diagnosed with a Mood Disorder? 9.5%
-Do cases of Anxiety Disorder quadruple cases of Depression Disorder? Approximately 40 million American adults ages 18 and older, or about 18.1 percent of people in this age group in a given year, have an anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder affects approximately 14.8 million American adults, or about 6.7 percent of the U.S. population age 18 and older in a given year. Even though it's close, the answer is no.
-What is the median age of onset for a mood disorder? 30yrs.

In America, the estimation of people that suffer from mood disorders is of 1/4 of the population and has become the leading cause of disability in North America. Recently the awareness has grown a little but we still have a long way to go, especially in the area of acceptance with all parties involved.

In my point of view which is based on stats and logic, it is that acceptance and knowledge is a key towards help. More than 90% of people who commit suicide have a mental disorder so this is a concern we should all have.

I have taken the information from, http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/the-numbers-count-mental-disorders-in-america/index.shtml.

1 comment:

Guest said...

Wow! I was off on a lot of those questions. :) It's been very educational for me as your friend to see you in both your states and to be there for you when you need to talk. I've really taken all the experiences to heart as they help me identify with my uncle who is schizophrenic. It has been a window in to how he must also see the world, and for that I am eternally grateful! :) It has also helped me in my daily life to be more compassionate towards others as now I can more clearly identify if they have a mental disorder and I know better how to interact with them. So thank you!!!