Delusional disorder epidemiology and demographics
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Simrat Sarai, M.D. [2]
Overview
Overview
The incidence of delusional disorders is approximately 0.7 to 3.0 cases per 100, 000 individuals annually. According to DSM-5 the prevalence of delusional disorder in the United States is estimated to be approximately 24-30 cases per 100, 000 individuals (0.02%), which is considerably lower than the prevalence of mood disorders (5%) and schizophrenia (1%). Females are more commonly affected with delusional disorder than males. Age at onset ranges from 18–90 years, with a mean age of 40 years.[1]
Epidemiology and Demographics
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 approximately 0.001-0.003%. The lifetime morbid risk of delusional disorder has been estimated to range from 0.05 to 0.1 percent.[2]
- According to DSM-5, the estimated lifetime prevalence of delusional disorder is 0.2 percent, which is far lower than the estimated lifetime prevalence for other major psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia and bipolar I disorder with lifetime prevalence of 0.3 to 0.87 percent and 0.24 to 0.6 percent respectively.[3][4][2][5]
- Approximate rates of delusional disorder reported in samples of patients receiving mental health treatment have ranged from 0.5 to 1.2 percent. As the majority of people with delusional disorder do not regard it as an illness or receive treatment, 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
Incidence
The incidence of delusional disorders is approximately 0.7 to 3.0 cases per 100, 000 individuals annually.[1]
Prevalence
Prevalence
According to DSM-5 the prevalence of delusional disorder in the United States is estimated to be approximately 0.02%, which is considerably lower than the prevalence of mood disorders (5%) and schizophrenia (1%).[6][7]
Gender
Gender
Females are more commonly affected with delusional disorder than males. The female-to-male ratio is approximately 2 to 1 (range: 1.18-3 to 1).
Age
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. Age at onset ranges from 18–90 years, with a mean age of 40 years.[10]
References
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Delusional disorder. Wikipedia(2015) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delusional_disorder Accessed on November 30, 2015
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Kendler KS (1982). “Demography of paranoid psychosis (delusional disorder): a review and comparison with schizophrenia and affective illness”. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 39 (8): 890–902. PMID 7103678.
- ↑ Perälä J, Suvisaari J, Saarni SI, Kuoppasalmi K, Isometsä E, Pirkola S; et al. (2007). “Lifetime prevalence of psychotic and bipolar I disorders in a general population”. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 64 (1): 19–28. doi:10.1001/archpsyc.64.1.19. PMID 17199051. Review in: Evid Based Ment Health. 2007 Aug;10(3):96
- ↑ Desk reference to the diagnostic criteria from DSM-5. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Publishing, 2013. Print.
- ↑ Yamada N, Nakajima S, Noguchi T (1998). “Age at onset of delusional disorder is dependent on the delusional theme”. Acta Psychiatr Scand. 97 (2): 122–4. PMID 9517905.
- ↑ Sadock, Benjamin J., Virginia A. Sadock, and Pedro Ruiz. Kaplan & Sadock’s synopsis of psychiatry : behavioral sciences/clinical psychiatry. Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer, 2015. Print.
- ↑ Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders : DSM-5. Washington, D.C: American Psychiatric Association, 2013. Print.
- ↑ Kelly BD (2005). “Erotomania : epidemiology and management”. CNS Drugs. 19 (8): 657–69. PMID 16097848.
- ↑ Sadock, Benjamin J., Virginia A. Sadock, and Pedro Ruiz. Kaplan & Sadock’s synopsis of psychiatry : behavioral sciences/clinical psychiatry. Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer, 2015. Print.
- ↑ Sadock, Benjamin J., Virginia A. Sadock, and Pedro Ruiz. Kaplan & Sadock’s synopsis of psychiatry : behavioral sciences/clinical psychiatry. Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer, 2015. Print.
Looking for the patient version?
© 2026 MyEClinic – IFTM Institut für Telematik in der Medizin GmbH