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Review
. 2015 Nov;42(8):415-23.
doi: 10.1055/s-0035-1552715. Epub 2015 Nov 5.

[How many people in Germany are seriously mentally ill?]

[Article in German]
Uta Gühne  1 , Thomas Becker  2 , Hans-Joachim Salize  3 , Steffi G Riedel-Heller  1
Affiliations
Review

[How many people in Germany are seriously mentally ill?]

[Article in German]
Uta Gühne et al. Psychiatr Prax. 2015 Nov.

Abstract

Objective: Severe and chronic mental illness (SMI) is associated with complex care needs. Mental health care planning requires exact estimates of the number of SMI patients.

Methods: Systematic search for conceptual and epidemiological work on SMI prevalence (age group 18 - 65 years) in Medline, Embase and PsycInfo.

Results: To date there is no international consensus on the definition of severe mental illness, however, there are a number of international studies allowing an estimate for Germany. The number of those affected with a severe mental illness based on the present findings is estimated at 1% to 2% of adults between 18 and 65 years. This means, that in Germany, about 500,000 to 1 million people are in need for complex mental health care interventions.

Conclusions: The numbers estimated may serve as a first orientation in the field. Further research on SMI prevalence is urgently needed in order to inform a more precise mental health care planning process for people with SMI in Germany.

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