Editing Conversion disorder (section)

==Epidemiology==
===Frequency===

Information on the frequency of conversion disorder is limited, in part due to the complexities of the diagnostic process. In neurology clinics, the reported [[prevalence]] of unexplained symptoms among new patients is very high, between 30 and 60%.<ref name="Carson_2000">{{cite journal |vauthors=Carson AJ, Ringbauer B, Stone J, McKenzie L, Warlow C, Sharpe M | title = Do medically unexplained symptoms matter? A prospective cohort study of 300 new referrals to neurology outpatient clinics | journal = J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatry | volume = 68 | issue = 2 | pages = 207–10 | year = 2000 | pmid = 10644789 | pmc = 1736779 | doi = 10.1136/jnnp.68.2.207}}</ref><ref name="pmid11448704">{{cite journal |vauthors=Nimnuan C, Hotopf M, Wessely S | title = Medically unexplained symptoms: an epidemiological study in seven specialities | journal = J Psychosom Res | volume = 51 | issue = 1 | pages = 361–7 | year = 2001 | pmid = 11448704 | doi = 10.1016/s0022-3999(01)00223-9}}</ref><ref name="pmid14999491">{{cite journal |vauthors=Snijders TJ, de Leeuw FE, Klumpers UM, Kappelle LJ, van Gijn J | title = Prevalence and predictors of unexplained neurological symptoms in an academic neurology outpatient clinic—an observational study | journal = J. Neurol. | volume = 251 | issue = 1 | pages = 66–71 | year = 2004 | pmid = 14999491 | doi = 10.1007/s00415-004-0273-y | s2cid = 8191138 }}</ref> However, diagnosis of conversion disorder typically required an additional psychiatric evaluation, and since few patients will see a psychiatrist,<ref name="pmid11110993">{{cite journal |vauthors=Crimlisk HL, Bhatia KP, Cope H, David AS, Marsden D, Ron MA | title = Patterns of referral in patients with medically unexplained motor symptoms | journal = J Psychosom Res | volume = 49 | issue = 3 | pages = 217–9 | year = 2000 | pmid = 11110993 | doi = 10.1016/s0022-3999(00)00167-7}}</ref> it is unclear what proportion of the unexplained symptoms are actually due to the disorder. In 1976, large scale psychiatric registers in the U.S. and Iceland found [[Incidence (epidemiology)|incidence rate]]s of 22 and 11 newly diagnosed cases per 100,000 person-years, respectively.<ref name="Stefansson">{{cite journal |vauthors=Stefánsson JG, Messina JA, Meyerowitz S | title = Hysterical neurosis, conversion type: clinical and epidemiological considerations | journal = [[Acta Psychiatr Scand]] | volume = 53 | issue = 2 | pages = 119–38 | year = 1976 | pmid = 1251758 | doi = 10.1111/j.1600-0447.1976.tb00066.x| s2cid = 39279206 }}</ref> In 2002, some estimates claim that in the general population, between 0.011% and 0.5% of the population have conversion disorder.<ref name="Tollison"/>

===Culture===

Although it is often thought that the frequency of conversion may be higher outside of the West, perhaps in relation to cultural and medical attitudes, evidence of this is limited.<ref name="Akagi, H. 2001, pp. 73">Akagi, H. & House, A.O., 2001, "The epidemiology of hysterical conversion". In P. Halligan, C. Bass, J. Marshall (Eds.) ''Hysterical Conversion: clinical and theoretical perspectives'' (pp. 73–87). Oxford: Oxford University Press.</ref> A 2007 community survey of urban Turkey found a prevalence of 5.6%.<ref name="Deveci">{{cite journal |vauthors=Deveci A, Taskin O, Dinc G, Yilmaz H, Demet MM, Erbay-Dundar P, Kaya E, Ozmen E | title = Prevalence of pseudoneurologic conversion disorder in an urban community in Manisa, Turkey | journal = Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol | volume = 42 | issue = 11 | pages = 857–64 | year = 2007 | pmid = 17639308 | doi = 10.1007/s00127-007-0233-9 | s2cid = 35026784 }}</ref> Many authors have found occurrence of conversion to be more frequent in rural, lower socio-economic groups, where technological investigation of patients is limited and people may know less about medical and psychological concepts.<ref name="Stefansson" /><ref name="pmid1950631">{{cite journal |vauthors=Tomasson K, Kent D, Coryell W | title = Somatization and conversion disorders: comorbidity and demographics at presentation | journal = Acta Psychiatr Scand | volume = 84 | issue = 3 | pages = 288–93 | year = 1991 | pmid = 1950631 | doi = 10.1111/j.1600-0447.1991.tb03146.x| s2cid = 7567719 }}</ref><ref name="pmid12563551">{{cite journal |vauthors=Kuloglu M, Atmaca M, Tezcan E, Gecici O, Bulut S | title = Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of patients with conversion disorder in Eastern Turkey | journal = Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol | volume = 38 | issue = 2 | pages = 88–93 | year = 2003 | pmid = 12563551 | doi = 10.1007/s00127-003-0608-5 | s2cid = 21829547 }}</ref>

===Gender===

In recent surveys of conversion disorder, females predominate, with between two and six female patients for every male. Some research suggests however that this gender disparity may be confounded by higher rates of violence against women.<ref>{{cite journal
| last1      = Kletenik
| first1     = I
| last2      = Sillau
| first2     = SH
| last3      = Attaripour Isfahani
| first3     = S
| last4      = LaFaver
| first4     = K
| last5      = Hallett
| first5     = M
| last6      = Berman
| first6     = BD
|date=2019-11-29
| title      = Gender as a Risk Factor for Functional Movement Disorders: The Role of Sexual Abuse
| journal    = Movement Disorders Clinical Practice
| volume     = 7
| issue      = 2
| pages      = 177–181
| doi        = 10.1002/mdc3.12863
| pmid       = 32071936
| pmc = 7011626
| doi-access= free
}}</ref>
<ref>{{Cite journal | vauthors = Kletenik I, Holden SK, Sillau SH, O'Connell N, MacGillivray L, Mack J, Haddock B, Ashworth Dirac M, David AS, Nicholson TR, Attaripour Isfahani SN, Maurer CW, Lidstone SC, Hallett M, LaFaver K, Berman BD, Stone J | date=Jan 2022 | title=Gender disparity and abuse in functional movement disorders: a multi-center case-control study | journal=J Neurol | volume=269 | issue=6 | pages=3258–3263 | language=en | doi=10.1007/s00415-021-10943-6| pmid=35098346| pmc=10202134 | s2cid=246413303 }}</ref>

===Age===

Conversion disorder may present at any age, but is rare in children younger than ten or in the elderly. Studies suggest a peak onset in the mid-to-late 30s.<ref name="Carson_2000"/><ref name="Stefansson" /><ref name="Deveci" />