Brenes Gretchen A, Knudson Mark, McCall W Vaughn, Williamson Jeff D, Miller Michael E, Stanley Melinda A
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA.
J Anxiety Disord. 2008 Oct;22(7):1128-36. doi: 10.1016/j.janxdis.2007.11.011. Epub 2007 Dec 3.
Despite the prevalence and impact of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) in the primary care setting, little is known about its presentation in this setting. The purpose of this study is to examine age and racial differences in the presentation and treatment of GAD in medical patients. Participants were recruited from one family medicine clinic and one internal medicine clinic. The prevalence of GAD was lowest for older adults. Age differences were found in the presentation of GAD, with young adults reporting greater cognitive symptoms of anxiety, negative affect, and depressive symptoms. African-Americans with GAD reported more positive affect and lower rates of treatment. The lower levels of negative affect and depressive symptoms reported among older adults may affect the recognition of GAD by primary care physicians. Further research is needed to better understand the causes of racial differences in treatment.
尽管广泛性焦虑症(GAD)在初级保健环境中普遍存在且具有影响,但对于其在该环境中的表现却知之甚少。本研究的目的是探讨内科患者中GAD的表现及治疗方面的年龄和种族差异。参与者从一家家庭医学诊所和一家内科诊所招募。老年人中GAD的患病率最低。在GAD的表现方面发现了年龄差异,年轻人报告有更多焦虑的认知症状、消极情绪和抑郁症状。患有GAD的非裔美国人报告有更多积极情绪且治疗率较低。老年人报告的消极情绪和抑郁症状水平较低可能会影响初级保健医生对GAD的识别。需要进一步研究以更好地理解治疗中种族差异的原因。