How Frequent are Mental Disorders in Lebanon?

The first ever national study in Lebanon to assess how frequent are Mental Disorders was undertaken by IDRAAC starting 2001. This study is a first in the Arab region. Lebanon is the only country among other Arab countries, to possess this extensive and valuable information so far on its nationally representative population. Analyses of this very huge data set are still ongoing.
We found that over a time period of 12 months 17.0 % of Lebanese adults have one or more mental  disorders. More specifically and over a one year period , 6.6% of the Lebanese suffer from Mood Disorders (eg: Depression / Dysthymia / Bipolar disorder) and 11.2% from Anxiety Disorders (eg: Phobia / Panic Disorder / Generalized Anxiety Disorder /Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Post traumatic Stress Disorder / etc).

As part of the World Health Organization-WMH Survey Initiative, in association with Harvard Medical School  (conducted so far in 29 countries across the world), 2857 Lebanese adults were assessed, in their own homes and all over Lebanon  by IDRAAC’s team between September 2002 and September 2003 in what came to be called the L.E.B.A.N.O.N study (Lebanese Evaluation of the Burden of Ailments and Needs Of the Nation).The techniques used are the state of the art sampling and analyses with the best built international collaboration and supervision achieved so far in this field. The aim of the study is to produce a nationally representative set of data to assess many parameters in the Lebanese: How common are mental disorders? When do they start? What are their causes? How are they being treated? How effectively? How do couples select each other? How do other medical conditions (Heart, Asthma,…)  affect mental health and vice versa? What is the temperament of the Lebanese ? How well do the Lebanese achieve ? How do they interact with problems of life? These are  only some of the important questions that will be answered by this study.   Moreover, the L.E.B.A.N.O.N study will be of great value to  healthcare policy makers in the world, and quite importantly in Lebanon and the Arab region.