Mental disorders in adolescents, youth, and adults in the RPS Birth Cohort Consortium (Ribeirao Preto, Pelotas and Sao Luis), Brazil

Although depression and anxiety are known to result in disabilities and workplace and health system losses, population-based studies on this problem are rare in Brazil. The current study assessed the prevalence of mental disorders in adolescents, youth, and adults and the relationship to sociodemographic characteristics in Jive birth cohorts (RPS) in Ribeirao Preto (Sao Paulo State), Pelotas (Rio Grande do Sul State), and Sao Luis (Maranhao State), Brazil. Major depressive episode, suicide risk, social phobia, and generalized anxiety disorder were assessed with the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview. Bootstrap confidence intervals were estimated and prevalence rates were stratified by sex and socioeconomic status in the R program. The study included 12,350 participants from the cohorts. Current major depressive episode was more prevalent in adolescents in Sao Luis (15.8%; 95%CI: 14.8- 16.8) and adults in Ribeirao Preto (129%; 95%CI: 12.0-13.9). The highest prevalence rates for suicide risk were in adults in Ribeirao Preto (13.7%; 95%CI: 127-14.7), and the highest rates for social phobia and generalized anxiety were in youth in Pelotas, with 7% (95%CI: 6.3-7.7) and 16.5% (95%CI: 15.4-17.5), respectively. The lowest prevalence rates of suicide risk were in youth in Pelotas (8.8%; 95%CI: 8.0-9.6), social phobia in youth in Ribeirao Preto (1.8%; 95%CI: 1.5-22), and generalized anxiety in adolescents in Sao Luis (3.5%; 95%CI: 3.0-4.0). Mental disorders in general were more prevalent in women and in individuals with lower socioeconomic status, independently of the city and age, emphasizing the need for more investment in mental health in Brazil, including gender and socioeconomic determinants.