Abstract

ROSALES, Nelly. The Doubtful Side of Epidemiology: Prevalence of Mental Diseases in Girardot and José Felix Ribas Municipalities, Aragua State, Venezuela. 2005. Comunidad y Salud [online]. 2007, vol.5, n.1, pp.21-29. ISSN 1690-3293.

A research on the prevalence of mental diseases during 2005 in Girardot and José Felix Ribas Municipalities, Aragua State was performed. For its determination, the frequency of these pathologies was assessed using as population in the survey, the patients attending for the first time the psychiatric consultation in the refered Municipalities Health Services, and living within the district. Information was collected from the totality of clinical records in the Departament of Medical Registration in each one of the clinics, as to assess the diagnosis according to the International Diseases Codification. (IDC 10). Sex and age were also codified. Results showed that mental diseases have a prevalence of 69.50 per 10.000 inhabitants in Girardot municipality on which depressive disturbances (F32)were 15.94 per 10.000 inhabitants and other anxiety disturbances (F 41), were 12.21 per 10.000 inhabitants. As for Ribas Municipality concern, the general figure was 50.75 per 10.000 where schizophrenia (F 20) shower a 12.90 per 10.000 and depressive disturbances (F 32), 12.12 per 10.000. According to sex, a prevalence of 44.46 per 10.000 was assessed in female patients in Girardot and 38.37 per 10.000 in Ribas Municipality. Mental illness shows a higher prevalence in population above 25 years in both Municipalities. It is useful to underline of this type of research as a tool for the knowledge on pathologies which according to WHO, will occupy by the year 2.020, 5 of the 10 highest morbidity causes in the world. Nevertheless, information concerning these diseases is practically absent as far as published information in Aragua State concerns.

Keywords : Mental Diseases; Morbidity; Prevalence; Psychiatric Service.