Schizophrenia and Chronic Mental Illness in Micronesia: an Epidemiological Survey

Hezel, Francis X.; Wylie, A.Michael (1992). "Schizophrenia and Chronic Mental Illness in Micronesia: an Epidemiological Survey". ISLA: A Journal of Micronesian Studies. 1 (2): 329–354. ISSN 1054-9390.

• Has attachment: File:IBKFAJIZ.pdf

Abstract: A community-based epidemiological survey using key informants and facility records in case finding was undertaken to understand better the occurrence of severe mental illness in Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands. The goal of the survey was to identify all cases of schizophrenia and chronic psychosis, including affective psychosis and paranoid delusional disorder, using community identification of abnormality rather than formal psychiatric diagnosis. The average prevalence rate for schizophrenia and chronic mental illness was 5.4 per 1,000 population, with a range of 3.2 to 16.7/1,000. Although rates varied greatly in different island groups—Palau's rate was almost twice that of Yap (the next highest area) and several times higher than rates in eastern Micronesia—the rates fall within accepted prevalence ranges established across cultures for schizophrenia. In Micronesia, schizophrenia and chronic mental illness were heavily weighted toward males, who constituted 77 percent of the total sample and outnumbered females by a ratio of 3.4/1.