Examined the sociodemographic correlates of psychiatric illness among 164 psychiatric patients (aged 3-60 yrs) and 165 nonpsychiatric controls (aged 1-77 yrs) over 3 yrs in a primary care center in Kuwait. Results show significant differences in basic demographic variables of the 2 groups: Psychiatric Ss were more likely than controls to be single, unskilled, young, less educated, and living alone or in an overcrowded household. Possible interpretations of the results are discussed in the cultural context of the Ss.