Psychiatric Epidemiology

Catalog description

Psychiatric epidemiology is the study of the distribution and determinants of mental disorders at the population level. This course provides an overview of: (1) the history of this subfield of epidemiology; (2) approaches to classification of mental health conditions and (descriptive and analytic) study design and how they have evolved over time; (3) our current understanding of the burden and causes of mental disorders globally; (4) the important role of culture and context in the classification, prevalence, and correlates of mental health conditions; and (5) how epidemiologic findings have informed public health intervention. The course emphasizes critical evaluation of methodological approaches in psychiatric epidemiology, challenges and current debates, and future directions for this field of study.