Personality disorders in an Irish mental health service: the Waterford Mental Health Survey

Abstract

The Waterford Mental Health Survey aimed to document the prevalence of personality disorders (PDs) in patients attending the public mental health service in Waterford, Ireland and outline the implications of this for service development. Between July 2011 and June 2014, 100 inpatients and 99 outpatients were evaluated with the Structured Clinical Interviews for (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual) DSM-IV axis I and II disorders, the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, the Global Assessment of Functioning rating scale, the Systemic Clinical Outcome and Routine Evaluation family assessment instrument, the Camberwell Assessment of Need Short Appraisal Schedule, and the Readiness for Psychotherapy Index. Ninety-eight per cent of cases had DSM-IV axis I psychiatric disorders and 39.3% of these had comorbid axis II PDs. Between approximately a half and three-quarters of cases with PDs had comorbid anxiety, depressive or alcohol and substance use disorders. Compared to those without PDs, cases with PDs had experience...