[Survey of the use of international classification (DSM III-R--ICD-10) in France, in private and public psychiatry]

Abstract

653 french psychiatrists replied to a questionnaire sent to them by mail regarding international classifications. The vast majority of them use these classifications, mainly for research purposes, and 94% own a copy of DSM III-R. Almost 3/4 of them have used this classification at least once in the context of scientific studies or natural science surveys. In contrast, a little over half of them use it only rarely for diagnostic purposes, and ICD-10 is more frequently used by hospital doctors. The scoring system of the latter is in fact designed to outline hospital activities for the administration. The benefits of these international classifications in the training of general practitioners and students should be emphasized, provided instruction in semiology and classical nosography is also given. It should also be noted that terminology tends to evolve, particularly among younger psychiatrists: thus, for instance, the notion of obsessional disorder is gradually coming to replace that of obsessional neurosis.