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Open Access 01-12-2021 | Generalised Anxiety Disorder | Research article

The lifetime prevalence and impact of generalized anxiety disorders in an epidemiologic Italian National Survey carried out by clinicians by means of semi-structured interviews

Authors: Antonio Preti, Roberto Demontis, Giulia Cossu, Goce Kalcev, Federico Cabras, Maria Francesca Moro, Ferdinando Romano, Matteo Balestrieri, Filippo Caraci, Liliana Dell’Osso, Guido Di Sciascio, Filippo Drago, Maria Carolina Hardoy, Rita Roncone, Carlo Faravelli, Cesar Ivan Aviles Gonzalez, Matthias Angermayer, Mauro Giovanni Carta

Published in: BMC Psychiatry | Issue 1/2021

Abstract

Background

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is one of the most reported diagnoses in psychiatry, but there is some discrepancy between the cases identified in community studies and those identified in tertiary care. This study set out to evaluate whether the use of clinicians as interviewers may provide estimates in a community survey close to those observed in primary or specialized care.

Methods

This is a community survey on a randomly selected sample of 2338 adult subjects. The Advanced Neuropsychiatric Tools and Assessment Schedule (ANTAS) was administered by clinicians, providing lifetime diagnosis based on the DSM-IV-TR. Health-related quality of life (HR-QoL) was measured with the Short-Form Health Survey (SF-12).

Results

Overall, 55 (2.3%) subjects met the criteria for GAD, with greater prevalence in women (3.6%) than in men (0.9%): OR = 4.02; 95%CI: 1.96–8.26. Up to 40% of those with GAD had at least another diagnosis of mood, anxiety, or eating disorders. The mean score of SF-12 in people with GAD was 32.33 ± 6.8, with a higher attributable burden than in other conditions except for major depressive disorder.

Conclusions

We found a relatively lower lifetime prevalence of GAD than in community surveys based on lay interviewers and a structured interview. The identified cases of GAD showed a strong impact on the quality of life regardless of co-morbidity and high risk in women, suggesting a profile similar to the one identified from studies in primary and specialized care.

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Title: The lifetime prevalence and impact of generalized anxiety disorders in an epidemiologic Italian National Survey carried out by clinicians by means of semi-structured interviews
Authors: Antonio Preti
Roberto Demontis
Giulia Cossu
Goce Kalcev
Federico Cabras
Maria Francesca Moro
Ferdinando Romano
Matteo Balestrieri
Filippo Caraci
Liliana Dell’Osso
Guido Di Sciascio
Filippo Drago
Maria Carolina Hardoy
Rita Roncone
Carlo Faravelli
Cesar Ivan Aviles Gonzalez
Matthias Angermayer
Mauro Giovanni Carta
Publication date: 01-12-2021
Publisher: BioMed Central
Keywords: Generalised Anxiety Disorder
Eating Disorder
Eating Disorder
Published in: BMC Psychiatry / Issue 1/2021
Electronic ISSN: 1471-244X
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-021-03042-3

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

The lifetime prevalence and impact of generalized anxiety disorders in an epidemiologic Italian National Survey carried out by clinicians by means of semi-structured interviews

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

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