Depressive disorders are among the most common psychological conditions currently affecting individuals living in the Westernized world. Yet, available data indicate that fewer than one third of adults with depression obtain appropriate professional treatment. This is attributed, among other reasons, to the under-recognition of the problem by health professionals, including district nurses. In ...

Occlusion—how the teeth fit together within and between the arches—has important consequences functionally and especially esthetically. Occlusal variation is considerable in modern westernized societies, but the occurrence and extent of the variation appear to be lower in the past and lower in non-westernized groups. This methodological paper describes several commonly-used variables that, coll...

A review of cultural and historical accounts of anorexia nervosa indicates that this disorder is found primarily in Westernized societies during periods of relative affluence and greater social opportunities for women. Some hypotheses regarding the vulnerability to eating disorders are proposed to the basis of these data.