William Eaton - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by William Eaton

Oxford University Press, 1995

Risk and Protective Factors in Schizophrenia, 2002

The observation that some migrant populations experience increased risk of psychotic illness is n... more The observation that some migrant populations experience increased risk of psychotic illness is now one of the most robust in psychiatric epidemiology. Although this association has been reported in studies spanning several decades, until recently it has remained largely ignored by researchers investigating aetiology because individuals prone to schizophrenia may be prone also to migrate. In other words, the association was interpreted as being due to selection biases operating in migrant populations.

Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology, 2018

Prevention of mental disorders is a rapidly growing area of research with substantial potential b... more Prevention of mental disorders is a rapidly growing area of research with substantial potential benefits for population health. This paper reviews the evidence base for prevention of depression, anxiety, and schizophrenia. We synthesized evidence from recent systematic reviews and meta-analyses published between 2013 and 2018 on prevention of depression, anxiety, and first-episode psychosis. We included reviews of randomized controlled trials testing psychological, psychosocial, and pharmacological preventive interventions. There is good evidence that depression and anxiety can be prevented, although effect sizes are generally small. Indicated prevention of first-episode psychosis appears promising. Economic evaluations provide support for prevention of depression, anxiety, and first-episode psychosis, but more studies evaluating costs and benefits are needed to strengthen the knowledge base, particularly regarding long-term outcomes, which include chronicity of the prevented disord...

International Journal of Mental Health, 2001

The first bit of epidemiologic data on schizophrenia was noted by Kraepelin and embodied in his c... more The first bit of epidemiologic data on schizophrenia was noted by Kraepelin and embodied in his choice of a name for the syndrome: dementia praecox, or adolescent-onset dementia [1]. Yet, after more than a century, we do not have a cogent explanation for this characteristic of the disorder. The second, most consistent, epidemiologic finding with respect to schizophrenia is that it is associated with lower socioeconomic status [2,3]. This finding remains controversial. In this paper we propose a psychological mechanism for these two findings that connects traditional sociological concepts of social structure with recent neuropsychological observations about brain function and schizophrenia.

American Journal of Epidemiology, 1990

and W. W. Eaton. Risk factors for the onset of panic disorder and other panic attacks in a prospe... more and W. W. Eaton. Risk factors for the onset of panic disorder and other panic attacks in a prospective, population-based study. Am J Epidemiol 1990;131:301-11. A total of 383 cases of incident panic attack were identified among 12,823 participants in the Epidemiologic Catchment Area Program over various 12-month periods in 1980-1983. These cases not phobia-stimulated were compared with 766 controls. Risk factors were examined for the onset of panic attacks, with attacks categorized as panic disorder, severe and unexplained panic attacks, or other panic attacks. Risk factors were also examined for the onset of attacks in which cardiovascular symptoms were experienced and those in which psychologic symptoms were experienced. Females were at greater risk than males for each category of attacks (relative odds ranged from 1.36 to 2.25). Persons aged 65 years or older were at lower risk than younger persons (relative odds, compared with 30-to 44-year-olds, ranged from 0.26 to 0.71). A history of cardiac symptoms, shortness of breath, depression or a major grief episode, drug abuse or dependence, alcohol abuse or dependence, and seizures were each strongly associated with panic attacks. A history of cardiac symptoms was more strongly associated with attacks in which cardiovascular symptoms were experienced than with attacks in which psychologic symptoms were experienced (relative odds, 8.36 vs. 2.23). A history of seizures was more strongly associated with attacks with psychologic symptoms than with attacks with cardiovascular symptoms (relative odds, 5.21 vs. 1.58).

American Journal of Psychiatry, 1994

American Journal of Epidemiology, 1985

The authors report findings pertaining to panic disorder from the first three sites of the Nation... more The authors report findings pertaining to panic disorder from the first three sites of the National Institute of Mental Health Epidemiologic Catchment Area Program. Probability samples of about 3,000 persons aged 18 years or older were interviewed in the New Haven, Connecticut area, eastern Baltimore City, Maryland, and the greater St. Louis, Missouri area in 1980-1982. Information on panic attacks and panic disorder was obtained using the Diagnostic Interview Schedule. The prevalence rate of panic attacks in the prior six months was found to be about 3% at each of the sites, while the prevalence of panic disorder varied from 0.6 to 1.0%. Age at onset was found to peak at 15-19 years. Simple panic attacks, severe and recurrent panic attacks, and panic disorder were found to be characterized by similar symptom profiles and age at onset distributions, and to have similar distributions by demographic factors.

Epidemiologic Reviews, 1995

American Journal of Epidemiology, 1981

This paper is an analysis of data on symptoms of depression in a nationwide sample of adults, col... more This paper is an analysis of data on symptoms of depression in a nationwide sample of adults, collected during the National Center for Health Statistics' first Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The data are analyzed by a statistical adjustment procedure which assesses the impact of the major sociodemographic variables simultaneously, instead of one by one, which avoids a former major source of confusion. The measure of depression is the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) Scale. With the exception of race, the study replicates earlier findings. The adjustment procedure facilitates generalization of the results to other populations which are not demographically comparable, such as to smaller locales in the United States, or to populations defined by some criterion variable. Comparison of results is made with earlier work that used the identical measure of depression in two separate locales.

Journal of health psychology, 2016

This study extended the literature by examining whether three profiles of depression predicted br... more This study extended the literature by examining whether three profiles of depression predicted breast cancer status. In 1076 women of the Baltimore Epidemiologic Catchment Area study, depression status and hopelessness were measured at baseline and breast cancer status was ascertained 24 years later. Double depression, but not major depression or dysthymia, was associated with breast cancer. Hopelessness predicted fewer new cases of breast cancer. When double depression and hopelessness were simultaneously entered as predictors, the regression weights of both predictors increased. The role of severe and extended duration depression as well as possible explanations for unexpected findings are discussed.

International psychogeriatrics / IPA, Jun 12, 2016

This study aims to (i) estimate the prevalence of blood-injection-injury phobia (BIIP) diagnosed ... more This study aims to (i) estimate the prevalence of blood-injection-injury phobia (BIIP) diagnosed as present at any time during the life prior to the interview, with or without another Specific Phobia diagnosed as present during the 12 months prior to the interview, (ii) characterize types and frequencies of co-occurring fears, (iii) evaluate the association with chronic medical conditions and lifetime psychiatric comorbidity, and (iv) explore medical service use associations in a nationally representative sample of older adults. A sample of 8,205 older adults, aged 65 years or older, was derived from Wave 1 of the National Epidemiological Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC). The weighted lifetime prevalence of BIIP with and without 12-month Specific Phobia was 0.6% (95% CI: 0.4-0.8) and 4.2% (95% CI: 3.7-4.8), respectively, and these two groups ranked similarly in terms of sociodemographic, health, and psychiatric characteristics. BIIP most frequently co-occurred with ...

This paper reviews epidemiologic literature on the extent of schizophrenia in the population, wit... more This paper reviews epidemiologic literature on the extent of schizophrenia in the population, with the purpose of judging the degree of variation that exists and judging whether such variation as exists may provide etiologic clues. It builds on several recent reviews of the epidemiology of schizophrenia (Warner and de Girolamo 1995; Jones and Cannon 1998; Jablensky 1997; Hafner and Heiden 1997; Eaton 1985; Eaton 1991; Castle 1993).

Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, 2015

Background Individuals with a history of mental illness have lower earnings than individuals with... more Background Individuals with a history of mental illness have lower earnings than individuals without. A possible reason is that those with prior anxiety or depression may be more likely to exit the labour force prior to retirement age, but evidence has been mixed and limited. Our objective was to compare risk of early labour force exit between employed adults with a history of depression or anxiety versus those without, separately for men and women. Methods We used data from the Baltimore Epidemiological Catchment Area Follow-up Cohort, which collected baseline data in 1981 and follow-up data 1993-1996 and 2004-2005. Cox proportional hazards models estimated the relative risk of labour force exit comparing those with versus without prior history of anxiety or depressive disorders. Results Women with prior anxiety or depression are at 37% increased risk of dropping out of the labour force as compared to women without, controlling for age, socioeconomic status, race and marital status (HR: 1.37, 95% CI 1.04 to 1.79). Men with prior anxiety or depression are 18% more likely to subsequently drop out of the labour force as compared to men without, controlling for the above confounders as well as veteran status, but this association is not statistically significant (HR: 1.18, 95% CI 0.72 to 1.27). Conclusions Prior anxiety or depression increases risk of early labour force exit for women. These findings may help explain previously reported lower earnings among female individuals with a history of mental illness and highlight the importance of considering anxiety and depressive disorders in policies supporting labour force participation.

Journal of Chronic Diseases, 1975

Abstract Prior research and theory supported the hypothesis that social class status was inversel... more Abstract Prior research and theory supported the hypothesis that social class status was inversely related to chronicity of schizophrenia. Chronicity was defined in terms of two components: duration of episodes and total number of episodes. A data file of hospital episodes of schizophrenia for a 7 yr period was developed from the Maryland Psychiatric Case Register to test the hypothesis. Social class status, as measured by occupation and education, was not systematically related to either duration of first hospitalization or to number of hospitalizations during the follow-up. It was suggested that changes in treatment practices, including the advent of psychotropic drugs and the community care movement, had reduced the relationship of social class to chronicity of schizophrenia.

Harvard Educational Review, 1978

In this article Eigil Pedersen, Thérèse Annette Faucher, and William W. Eaton have taken on one o... more In this article Eigil Pedersen, Thérèse Annette Faucher, and William W. Eaton have taken on one of the most difficult questions in educational research: the impact of the classroom teacher on children's adult status. The authors detail the results of a research project of unconventional methodology and Unusually long duration. They sought originally to examine atypical IQ changes but came to focus on the enduring effects of one remarkable first-grade teacher. Drawing upon the idea of the "self-fulfilling prophecy," the authors relate the effects of teachers' attitudes and resultant behavior to the subsequent adult status of sixty children. Their conclusion,in contrast to that of many recent studies, is that the classroom teacher may have a significant effect on children's chances for success in later life.

Handbooks of Sociology and Social Research, 1999

Page 1. CHAPTER 20 Social Transmission in Acute Somatoform Epidemics WILLIAM W. EATON INTRODUCTIO... more Page 1. CHAPTER 20 Social Transmission in Acute Somatoform Epidemics WILLIAM W. EATON INTRODUCTION ... Inevitable WILLIAM W. EATON Department of Mental Hygiene, School of Hygiene and Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21205. ...

Lecture Notes in Mathematics, 1975

American Journal of Psychiatry, 1982

Search for the Causes of Schizophrenia, 2004

The four papers represent widely varying perspectives and data. They are all informative, but it ... more The four papers represent widely varying perspectives and data. They are all informative, but it is difficult to draw a general summary message that applies to all. Therefore I comment on each one individually, making comparisons and drawing common conclusions where possible.

Textbook in Psychiatric Epidemiology