Abstract
In order to investigate conflicting reports about possible changes in the incidence of mania, we established first contact rates for mania in the defined area of Camberwell between 1965 and 1984. There was some evidence for an increase in the first contact rate of mania, especially in females. This rise may be associated with the influx into Camberwell of individuals of Afro-Caribbean origin who showed significantly higher rates than the white group [adjusted rate ratio 3.1; 95% confidence interval (Cl) 1.4–6.9] and more often displayed mixed manic and schizophrenic symptomatology (risk ratio 2.2; 95% Cl 1.1–4.3). We conclude that the incidence of mania has not decreased and may actually have increased. High rates of mental illness among members of ethnic minorities are not specific to schizophrenia, suggesting that a risk factor common to both manic and schizophrenic illness is more prevalent among these groups.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Akiskal HS, Maser JD, Zeller PJ, et al (1995) Switching from ‘unipolar’ to bipolar II. Arch Gen Psychiatry 52: 114–123
Bebbington P, Hurry J, Tennant C (1981) Psychiatric disorders in selected immigrant groups in Camberwell. Soc. Psychiatry 16: 43–51
Castle D, Wessely S, Der G, et al (1991) The incidence of operationally defined schizophrenia in Camberwell, 1965–1984. Br J Psychiatry 159: 790–794
Cooper J, Goodhead D, Craig T, et al (1987) The incidence of schizophrenia in Nottingham. Br J Psychiatry 151: 619–626
Dean G, Walsh D, Downing H, et al (1981) First admissions of native-born and immigrants to psychiatric hospitals in South-East England 1976. Br J Psychiatry 139: 506–512
Der G, Bebbington P (1987) Depression in inner London: a register study. Soc Psychiatry 22: 73–84
Der G, Gupta S, Murray RM (1990) Is schizophrenia disappearing? Lancet 335: 513–516
Eagles J, Whalley L (1985) Decline in the diagnosis of schizophrenia among first admissions to Scottish mental hospitals from 1969–1978. Br J Psychiatry 146: 151–154
Harrison G (1990) Searching for the causes of schizophrenia: the role of migrant studies. Schizophr Bull 16: 663–671
Harrison G, Owens D, Holton A, et al (1988) A prospective study of severe mental disorder in Afro-Caribbean patients. Psychol Med 18: 643–657
Kendell R, Malcolm D, Adams W (1993) The problem of detecting changes in the incidence of schizophrenia. Br J Psychiatry 162: 212–218
King M, Coker E, Leavey G, Hoare A, Johnson-Sabine E (1994) Incidence of psychotic illness in London: a comparison of ethnic groups. BMJ 309: 1115–1119
Leff J, Fisher M, Bertelsen A (1976) A cross national study of mania. Br J Psychiatry 129: 428–442
Makanjuola RO (1985) Recurrent unipolar manic disorder in the Yoruba Nigerian: further evidence. Br J Psychiatry 147: 434–437
McGovern D, Cope R (1987) First psychiatric admission rates of first and second-generation Afro-Caribbeans. Soc Psychiatry 22: 139–149
McGuffin P, Farmer A, Harvey I (1991) a polydiagnostic application of operational criteria in studies of psychotic illness: development and reliability of the OPCRIT system. Arch Gen Psychiatry 48: 645–650
Parker G, O'Donnell M, Walters S (1985) Changes in the diagnosis of the functional psychoses associated with the introduction of lithium. Br J Psychiatry 146: 377–382
Prince M, Phelan M (1990) Trends in schizophrenia. Lancet 335: 851–852
Rothman K (1986) Modern epidemiology, Little, Brown and Company, Boston
Rwegerella G (1977) Psychiatric morbidity among West Africans and West Indians living in London. Psychol Med 335: 851–852
Selten JP, Sijben N (1994) First admission rates for schizophrenia in immigrants to the Netherlands. The Dutch National Register Soc. Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 29: 71–77
Spitzer R, Endicott J, Robins E (1978) Research diagnostic criteria: rationale and reliability. Arch Gen Psychiatry 35: 773–782
Van Os J, Galdos P, Lewis G, Mann M, Bourgeois M (1993) Schizophrenia sans frontières. BMJ 307: 489–492
Van Os J, Castle D, Takei N, Der G, Murray R (in press) Schizophrenia in ethnic minorities: clarification from the 1991 census. Psychol Med
Wessely S, Castle D, Der G, et al (1991) Schizophrenia and Afro-Caribbeans: a case control study. Br J Psychiatry 159: 795–801
Wing J, Hailey A (1972) Evaluating a community psychiatric service: the Camberwell Register, 1964–1971. Oxford University Press, London
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
van Os, J., Takei, N., Castle, D.J. et al. The incidence of mania: time trends in relation to gender and ethnicity. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 31, 129–136 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00785759
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00785759