Psychiatric morbidity in young adults can lead to a host of poor sequelae including later psychiatric disorder, welfare dependence and psychosocial disability, all worse if the disorder becomes chronic.Early intervention strategies could be enhanced by targeting those likely to have a more chronic or repetitive course.

Twenty thousand young Australians, aged 17-24, were recruited into a prospective cohort study at the time of obtaining their driving license. A random sample of 5000 were recontacted a year later and 2994 completed re-survey questionnaires. Psychiatric morbidity was assessed using the Kessler 10 (cut point 21/22) and DSH was assessed by slef report. Two trained research assistants and a psychiatrist then coded the open responses.

Psychiatric morbidity was present in 954 of the sample at baseline. 45& of these were still cases one year later. Older age, female gender, previous deliberate self harm and symptom scores, but not substance or alcohol misuse were the baseline independent association with chronicity vs. remission. Short sleep duration was the only other independent factor, with a 10% decrease in the likelihood of having morbidity at follow up for every extra hour slept on average per night.

This study suggests yet another poor outcome of short sleep duration in young adults which may aid targeting of early intervention for psychiatric morbidity.