Epidemiology

OCD affects 1% to 4% of people (children, adolescents, adults) throughout the world.[3] It is estimated that OCD is the fourth most common mental illness.[4] In the US, the lifetime prevalence for adults is about 2.3%.[5] There is an equal prevalence among males and females.[6] Age of onset is typically late adolescence to early twenties, although males tend to develop the disorder earlier than females.[6][7] Late onset (i.e., after 35 years of age) is less common, and is often associated with a history of chronic subclinical symptoms.[7] The disorder appears with similar prevalence rates and symptom presentations across cultures.[8] However, there can be some cultural specificity to the content of obsessions.[9] Similar prevalence rates have been found in the US, Canada, Puerto Rico, Germany, Korea, and New Zealand.[8] A lower prevalence rate, however, has been found in Taiwan.[8] OCD has a significant impact on quality of life and can greatly impair one's level of functioning. The World Health Organization has estimated that OCD is among the top 20 causes of illness-related disability for people between the ages of 15 and 44.[10]

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