Prevalence, Correlates, and Impact of Psychiatric Disorders and Treatment Utilization Among Muslims in the United States: Results from the National Epidemiological Survey of Alcohol and Related Conditions

Abstract

There is a paucity of research on the true prevalence of psychiatric disorders in Muslim Americans. This research aims to explore the prevalence, correlates and impact of mood disorders, anxiety disorders, and posttraumatic stress disorders (PTSD) in Muslims as compared with a non-Muslim sample. We used propensity scores to match 372 individuals who self-identified as Muslims from The National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions III with a control group (n = 744) from the same dataset. The prevalence of psychiatric disorders was similar in Muslim Americans and non-Muslims. Help-seeking was generally low, but Muslims with a lifetime history of PTSD were less likely than non-Muslims with PTSD to seek help through self-help groups (2.2% vs. 21.1%, p < 0.05). Moreover, Muslims with mood disorders experienced lower mental health scores compared to non-Muslims with mood disorders. Efforts need to be made to identify psychiatric disorders in this faith group and engage in treatment.