[The Composite International Diagnostic Interview: possibilities of utilization for economic studies in psychiatry].

The analysis of treatment costs includes two basic elements--direct and indirect costs. Two major models of analysis are distinguished; the first is based on prevalence of disorders in population, the second--on incidence of disorder. Independently of chosen method, detailed epidemiological data are the starting point of each analysis. The diagnostic instrument that can be useful in these studies seems to be the CIDI--the Composite International Diagnostic Interview. It gives possibility not only to evaluate the prevalence of mental disorders in general population but also to analyse the comorbidity of disorders in examined persons during their lifetime. Apart from that, it allows to assess the individual functioning in different aspects of life. The CIDI is a highly structured instrument for assessment of mental disorders according to diagnostic criteria ICD 10 and DSM IV. It was designed by WHO to serve cross-epidemiologic studies of psychopathology in general population. It can be employed by non-clinicians lay interviewers after proper training. The core version of CIDI consists of 16 modules (diagnostic categories) that can be used independently. Great deal of studies on its reliability and validity have confirmed its high quality, and nowadays it is used widely in several countries in epidemiological studies.