Objectives: The objectives of this study were to estimate and compare the lifetime and 12-month prevalence of mood disorders, anxiety disorders, and substance dependence in white, Chinese, and other Asian populations in Canada and to identify correlates of mental disorders in these ethnic groups.
Methods: We used data from the Canadian Community Health Survey: Mental Health and Well-Being. The WHO's Composite International Diagnostic Interview was used to assess mental disorders diagnosed according to the DSM-IV criteria. We included subjects who were white (n = 33399), Chinese (n = 733), or from other Asian populations (n = 1113). The lifetime and 12-month prevalence of mental disorders was estimated according to ethnic group.
Results: The lifetime and 12-month prevalence of mental disorders in Chinese participants was lower than the prevalence rates in white participants. Other Asian participants were less likely than white individuals to have had any mood and anxiety disorder in their lifetime. The 12-month prevalence of any mental disorder in Chinese participants was lower than in other Asian participants. However, the proportion of Chinese participants with perceived fair to poor mental health was higher than in the other Asian and white groups.
Conclusions: The prevalence of mental disorders among Chinese individuals living in Canada resembles that in China's population. The prevalence of mental disorders in the Asian populations may vary by region. Studies are needed to examine subthreshold mental disorders in the Asian populations as well as ethnic differences in mental disorders in relation to sex, age, and clinical condition.