Prevalence of bipolar spectrum disorder in Korean college students according to the K-MDQ

BACKGROUND The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of bipolar spectrum disorder (BSD) in the general Korean population. METHODS A sample of college students (n = 1026) was stratified to reflect geographical differences accurately in Korean college students. The Korean version of the Mood Disorder Questionnaire (K-MDQ) was administered and an epidemiological survey carried out between November 2006 and February 2007. BSD was defined as a score of at least seven K-MDQ symptoms that co-occurred and resulted in minimal or more functional impairment. RESULTS The prevalence of BSD was 18.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] 16.2-21.0) in total, being 19.8% (95% CI 16.3-23.2) in men and 17.5% (95% CI 14.2-20.8) in women. The prevalence of BSD was more common in rural dwellers than in urban dwellers (P = 0.008, chi-square test). Univariate and multivariate regression models showed that rural residence was a significant factor associated with BSD. There were significant relationships between BSD and gender, age, and socioeconomic status. CONCLUSION The prevalence of BSD found in the present study is higher than that reported by other epidemiological studies in Korea and in international studies.