Objective: To test if mental disorders are more prevalent and start earlier in younger cohorts, as well as investigating changes of the association between mental disorders and social class.
Methods: Comparison of three birth cohorts in the representative German Health Survey (Mental Health Supplement, GHS-MHS; age: 18-65; N = 4,181) with regard to substance use, depressive, anxiety and somatoform disorders.
Results: Prevalences of mental disorders are the same across cohorts but lifetime risk is higher in recent cohorts (in particular for depression). A gradient of social class shows a tendency to be stronger in younger cohorts.
Conclusions: Due to the retrospective design increased lifetime risk in younger cohorts might be over-estimated. Repeated surveys in the same population are needed to determine whether the prevalence of mental disorders is rising in recent years. The association between social status and mental health will be of growing importance in the future.