The Frequency of Psychiatric Disorders Leading to Disability in Young Adult Males

Objective: Mental diseases are vital community health problems because they are common in public, and have negative social reflection and result in a disability. Methods: This cross-sectional study has been conducted by reviewing health reports of 1.777.500 people applying for military service examination in Turkish Armed Forces between 2009 and 2011. Results: Prevalence of psychiatric diseases leading to disability has been detected as 9.4 per thousand in 2009, 10.7 per thousand in 2010 and 10.0 per thousand in 2011. Mental retardation and schizophrenia prevalence have been detected as 6.4/1.6 per thousand in 2009, 7.2/1.7 per thousand in 2010, 7.1/1.3 per thousand in 2011. As a result of our study, it has been seen that mental retardation prevalence is parallel to world’s average, and prevalence of psychotic disorders is a bit lower because study group is young. Conclusion: Supporting this study with community based studies to be carried out in different populations proves benefit for policies to be improved in social and health area.