Prevalence of episodes of mania and hypomania and associated comorbidities among young adults

Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of episodes of mania and hypomania, as well as associated factors and comorbidities among adults 18 to 24 years old in the city of Pelotas, Brazil. Method: This is a cross-sectional population-based study. The sample was selected through conglomerates, and episodes of mania and hypomania were assessed using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric. Results: The sample consisted of 1560 subjects. The lifetime prevalence of manic and hypomanic episodes was 7.5% and 5.3%, respectively. Subjects with (hypo)manic episodes had a higher prevalence of anxiety disorders, substance abuse and suicidality. Limitation: The high rate of (hypo)mania may to some extent reflect diagnostic error. Conclusion: Such high prevalence of (hypo)mania may nonetheless be valid as it was associated with corresponding rates of comorbidity and suicidality. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.