Bipolar I disorder, social support and work.

Objectives: This article reports the estimated lifetime prevalence of bipolar I disorder in the household population and describes characteristics of people of working age (25 to 64) affected by this disorder. The relationship between social support and employment status is examined in people with the disorder.
Data Source: Data are from the 2002 Canadian Community Health Survey: Mental Health and Well-being.
Analytical Techniques: Weighted frequencies and cross-tabulations were used to estimate the prevalence of bipolar I disorder. Multiple logistic regression modeling was used to examine four dimensions of social support in relation to having a job, in people with bipolar I disorder.
Main Results: An estimated 444,000 (2.6%) people aged 25 to 64 had lifetime bipolar I disorder. Alcohol dependence, asthma, migraine, obesity and panic disorder were far more prevalent among these people, compared with the general population. People with bipolar I disorder who reported readily accessible tangible support had higher odds of being employed, compared with those with less available tangible support.