How Common Is Hoarding Disorder?

Individuals with pathological hoarding refuse to discard objects and accumulate such clutter in their homes that these become close to uninhabitable. Previously thought to be a variant of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), the syndrome has recently been viewed as distinct, difficult to treat, and extremely disabling. To determine its prevalence, researchers used a population-based health survey of 1698 London residents (age range, 16–90) and in-home interviews of 99 of 201 subjects screening positive on a single question about hoarding.

After in-home interviews and environment ratings, only 19% of respondents with positive screens met criteria for hoarding, giving a prevalence of 1.5%. Examination of descriptions of the in-home environment…