Epidemiology and demographics
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Simrat Sarai, M.D. [2]
Overview
The incidence of delusional disorders is approximately 0.7 to 3.0 cases per 100, 000 individuals annually. The prevalence of delusional disorders is approximately 24 to 30 cases per 100, 000 individuals annually.
Epidemiology and Demographics
Delusional disorder accounts for approximately 1-2% of admissions to inpatient mental health facilities. The incidence of first admissions for delusional disorder is lower, from 0.001-0.003%. The lifetime morbid risk of delusional disorder has been estimated to range from 0.05 to 0.1 percent [2-4], based on data from various sources including case registries, case series, and population-based samples. The epidemiology of delusional disorders has not been studied in large, community-based samples. These findings and the DSM-5’s estimated lifetime prevalence of delusional disorder (0.2 percent) [1] are far lower than the estimated lifetime prevalence for other major psychotic disorders, such as schizophrenia (0.3 to 0.87 percent) and bipolar I disorder (0.24 to 0.6) [5]. Rates of delusional disorder reported in samples of patients receiving mental health treatment have ranged from 0.5 to 1.2 percent [2,6,7]. Attempts to quantify incidence estimates (0.7 to 3.0/100,000) have been based on hospital admission data of uncertain accuracy [2]. Because a significant proportion of people with delusional disorder do not regard it as an illness or receive treatment, and measurement often relies, to some extent, on self-report, studies likely underestimate the prevalence of the disorder. Delusional disorders are uncommon in psychiatric practice, though this may be an underestimation due to the fact that those afflicted lack insight and thus avoid psychiatric assessment.
Incidence
The incidence of delusional disorders is approximately 0.7 to 3.0 cases per 100, 000 individuals annually.
Prevalence
The prevalence of delusional disorders is approximately 24 to 30 cases per 100, 000 individuals annually.
Gender
Females are more commonly affected with delusional disorder than males.
Age
Delusional disorder commonly affects individuals in middle to late adult life. First admissions to hospital for delusional disorder occur between age 33 and 55 years of age.