12-month Prevalence of Panic Disorder with or without Agoraphobia in the Swedish General Population

Objective: The present study examined the prevalence of panic disorder with or without agoraphobia according to DSM-IV criteria in the Swedish general population. Method: Data were obtained by means of a postal survey administrated to 1000 randomly selected adults. The panic disorder module of the World Health Organization's Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) was included in the survey. Results: 12-month prevalence was estimated at 2.2% (CI 95% 1.02% - 3.38%). There was a significant sex difference, with a greater prevalence for women (5.6%) compared to men (1.0%). Conclusion: The Swedish panic disorder prevalence is relatively consistent with findings in most other parts of the western world.