[Survey on the prevalence of anxiety disorders in internal medical outpatients at general hospital].

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the prevalence of anxiety disorder in internal medical outpatients at general hospital, explore some susceptible factors of anxiety disorder patients and assess the physician diagnosis and treatment of anxiety disorders.

METHODS

According to 10:1 random sampling, the outpatients from cardiac medicine, digestive medicine, endocrinology and hypertension at Shanghai Ruijin Hospital were selected during November 2007 to January 2008. Hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS) was used to screen the subjects. Those whose anxiety sub-score was higher or equal to 8 were interviewed with M.I.N.I. investigators further. The information of the physician diagnosis and treatment was collected from the history cards.

RESULTS

The prevalence of anxiety disorders was 2.51%, panic attack 0.9%, agoraphobia 0.47%, social phobia 0.25%, specific phobia 0.31%, obsessive-compulsive disorder 0.28% and general anxiety disorder 1.47%. Women and widows were more susceptible to anxiety disorders (P < 0.01). And 23% of anxiety disorder patients received treatment. But the physician diagnosis rate of anxiety disorders was only 3.2%.

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of anxiety disorders in internal medical outpatients at general hospital is still high and general anxiety disorders are commonly encountered. Women and widows are more susceptible to anxiety disorders than others. The physician diagnosis rate of anxiety disorders remains low.