Towards ICD 10: the attitudes of Australian and New Zealand psychiatrists

Abstract

About 15% of practising psychiatrists in Australia and New Zealand responded to a brief postal questionnaire. This sample appears reasonably representative of the various groups within the profession and of the geographical distribution of the clinicians. Ninety-one per cent of the respondents thought it was important to have a reliable classification; 83% thought that ICD 10 should incorporate specific diagnostic criteria; and 78% were of the view that ICD 10 should have a multiaxial system. Overall, DSM-III is used twice as often as ICD 9, and only 12% of psychiatrists do not use DSM-III at all. A very small minority (6%) use some other classification system. The results of this survey are discussed against the background of the intended introduction of ICD 10 in about 1990. Preliminary preparations for it are already in progress.