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Bipolar disorder impact

In 1988, 1 in 5 adolescent suicide victims was related to bipolar disorders; this was revealed in book "Risk factors for adolescent suicide: A comparison of adolescent suicide victims with suicidal inpatients." By the Arch Gen Psychiatry. The situation today is not any better, but growing worst as more and more suicides are being witnessed at homes, hospital wards and far away bushes.

As a matter of fact the burden of mental illness such as bipolar disorders have been underestimated as revealed by "The global burden of disease and injury series" (volume 1) a study that was embarked upon by World Health Organization, the World Bank, and Harvard University. The study revealed that 1.7% in established market economies (1999) has been diminished due to impact of bipolar disorder on societies; the study also shows that with the aging of the world population and the conquest of infectious diseases, psychiatric and neurological conditions could increase their share of the total global disease burden by almost half, from 10.5 percent of the total burden to almost 15 percent in 2020.

The Leading Sources of Disease Burden in Established Market Economies, 1990
Causes Total
(millions)*		 Percent
of Total
All Causes 98.7  
1. Ischemic heart disease 8.9 9.0
2. Unipolar major depression 6.7 6.8
3. Cardiovascular disease 5.0 5.0
4. Alcohol use 4.7 4.7
5. Road traffic accidents 4.3 4.4
6. Lung & UR cancers 3.0 3.0
7. Dementia & degenerative CNS 2.9 2.9
8. Osteoarthritis 2.7 2.7
9. Diabetes 2.4 2.4
10. COPD 2.3 2.3
 
Disease Burden by Selected Illness Categories in Established Market Economies, 1990
Diseases   Percent
of Total
All cardiovascular conditions   18.6
All mental illness including suicide   15.4
All malignant disease (cancer)   15.0
All respiratory conditions   4.8
All alcohol use   4.7
All infectious and parasitic disease   2.8
All drug use   1.5
 
Mental Illness as a Source of Disease Burden in Established Market Economies, 1990
Disorders Total
(millions)*		 Percent
of Total
All Causes 98.7  
Unipolar major depression 6.7 6.8
Schizophrenia 2.3 2.3
Bipolar disorder 1.7 1.7
Obsessive-compulsive disorder 1.5 1.5
Panic disorder 0.7 0.7
Post-traumatic stress disorder 0.3 0.3
Self-inflicted injuries (suicide) 2.2 2.2
All mental disorders 15.3 15.4
* Measured in DALYs (Disability Adjusted Life Years; lost years of healthy life regardless of whether the years were lost to premature death or disability)

Clinical prevalence facts

Clinical bipolar disorder statistics from England department of health:

  • 0.11% (14,566) of hospital consultant episodes were for bipolar affective disorder in England 2002-03.
  • 90% of hospital consultant episodes for bipolar affective disorder required hospital admission in England 2002-03.
  • 39% of hospital consultant episodes for bipolar affective disorder were for men in England 2002-03.
  • 61% of hospital consultant episodes for bipolar affective disorder were for women in England 2002-03.
  • 74% of hospital consultant episodes for bipolar affective disorder required emergency hospital admission in England 2002-03.
  • 58.1 days was the mean length of stay in hospitals for bipolar affective disorder in England 2002-03.
  • 33 days was the median length of stay in hospitals for bipolar affective disorder in England 2002-03.
  • 48 was the mean age of patients hospitalised for bipolar affective disorder in England 2002-03.
  • 76% of hospital consultant episodes for bipolar affective disorder occurred in 15-59 year olds in England 2002-03.
  • 6% of hospital consultant episodes for bipolar affective disorder occurred in people over 75 in England 2002-03.
  • 1% of hospital consultant episodes for bipolar affective disorder were single day episodes in England 2002-03.
  • 1.17% (615,426) of hospital bed days were for bipolar affective disorder in England 2002-03.

Hospitalization statistics in Australia in psychiatric hospitals:

  • Bipolar affective disorders accounted for 206,045 patient days in hospitals in Australia 2001-02.
  • Bipolar affective disorders resulted in 15,943 hospitalizations in Australia 2001-02.
  • 1,384 hospital episodes in public psychiatric hospitals were for bipolar affective disorder in Australia 2001-02.
  • 1.9% of hospitalisations in public psychiatric hospitals for bipolar affective disorder were single day episodes in Australia 2001-02.
  • 98% of hospitalisations in public psychiatric hospitals for bipolar affective disorder were by public patients in Australia 2001-02.
  • Hospitalisations for bipolar affective disorder at public psychiatric hospitals occurred in 0.7 people per 10,000 population in Australia 2001-02.
  • 27.3 days was the mean length of stay for bipolar affective disorder in public psychiatric hospitals in Australia 2001-02.
  • Excluding same day episodes, 27.8 days was the mean length of stay in public psychiatric hospitals for bipolar affective disorder in Australia 2001-02.

Content outline

Multimedia

Citing

  • The global burden of disease and injury series, volume 1
    • Published by WHO
  • Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders, fourth edition (DSM-IV)
    • American Psychiatric Association. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Press, 1994.
  • WrongDiagnosis.com
  • WrongDiagnosis.com
  • Mental Health
    • Microsoft Encarta Reference Library 2005. 1993-2004 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
  • Australian Hospital Data
    • AIHW, Australia, 2001-02
  • Hospital Episode Statistics
    • Department of Health, England, 2002-03
  • AIHW Hospital Morbidity Database 2001-02
    • Australia's Health 2004, AIHW