General population surveys of the prevalence of common mental disorders are necessary for the organization of effective mental health services.

Epidemiological studies are useful for the more objective assessment of the mental health needs of the population.

To present data on the pattern and correlates of 12-month use of services by persons with common mental disorders from the recently completed general population survey of psychiatric morbidity in Greece.

The sample (n=4894; multistage stratified random sample) was representative for the Greek population aged 18-70. Common mental disorders were assessed according to the ICD-10 criteria with the revised Clinical Interview Schedule (CISR), conducted by trained lay interviewers.

73,9% of participants with at least one common mental disorder (CMD) do not receive any treatment for their psychological health, 52% have never spoken to the family physician and 73.3% has not spoken to a mental health professional in the past year. The disorder associated with the most frequent use of general health services for any reason (>4 visits to any physician in the past year) was depression (43.7%). Overall, 46.5% of all participants who meet the criteria for a CMD had not spoken to a doctor or mental health professional, with men showing significantly higher rates of no use compared to women (54.6% vs 41.5%).

These findings can help in the better organization of services with the aim to improve prevention and treatment of common mental disorders in Greece, especially in a time of economic hardship.