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September 1975 (Volume 53)
Quarterly Article
Morton Kramer
Sep 22, 2026
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The paper reviews progress made in the past 30 years in the development of statistical and epidemiological methods in the mental health field. Applications have included determinations of need for psychiatric care and supporting personnel; interpretation of morbidity indices, and cross-national comparisons of diagnoses of mental disorders. Much remains to be done. Progress would include better measurement of incidence, duration, and prevalence of mental disorders; more precise estimates of service needs; more effective programs to prevent or reduce disability. Particularly needed are field-research units under long-term funding with the task of assessing effectiveness of mental health programs at the catchment-area level.
Author(s): Morton Kramer
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Volume 53, Issue 3 (pages 279–336) Published in 1975