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A high prevalence of minor psychiatric symptoms is present in the community. When observed at the general practice level, the symptomatology has by this time usually developed to such a degree to induce help-seeking and has acquired the status of an evident clinical and health problem. Hence, general practice attenders constitute a relevant intermediate area of research for psychiatric epidemiology placed between community surveys and surveys based on contacts with specialistic services. Psychiatric morbidity has revealed itself as a major clinical problem for general practitioners, since the large majority of patients with emotional distress problems are recognized and treated in general practice services. The present paper reviews the major international studies on the topic and recent studies put forward in Italy by the Psychiatric Epidemiology Research Unit of Verona University.