Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Incidence and Prevalence - Essay Example

According to medicine.net, disease epidemiology defines “ incidence is the number of newly diagnosed cases during a specific time period”. Prevalence, on the other hand, meant the number of cases in a specific time period. On a national level, it is reported that 12% of the population (ages 15-24 years old ) are affected by anxiety disorders, 1.8 % of which is caused by OCD (public health .gc.ca). A cross-country study on the prevalence of OCD in an adult’s lifetime revealed lifetime prevalence in Canada was 2.

9%, moreover, it affects more women than men ( Mohammadi, et.al, 2004. p.76). In Edmonton, a study made by Mayerovitch ( 2003 ) revealed that “out of 7,214 residents of Edmonton, Canada, 172 subjects were diagnosed with OCD,(sadly )only 36.6% had consulted a doctor about their symptoms” (p.168). All mental disorders can lead to serious consequences for the individuals who are affected by it. Perhaps among the mental illness known to man, OCD subjects the patients to casual and daily ridicule.

There are countless jokes – on everything from sitcoms to sportscasts – about people washing their hands a la Lady Macbeth in an obsessive way. People make continual references to being obsessive or compulsive about one thing or another all the time in a way that to someone who actually struggles with OCD can feel lighting and incredibly dismissive. Those who have this condition, far from finding it a joke, can, in fact, find it crippling and are often deeply ashamed of their thoughts and behaviors