title: Symptomatic severity of PRIME-MD diagnosed episodes of panic and generalized anxiety disorder in primary care.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Panic disorder (PD) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) are often unrecognized by primary care physicians (PCPs). The Primary Care Evaluation of Mental Disorders (PRIME-MD) has been used as a case-finding instrument for depression. Yet, little is known on its usefulness as a case-finding tool for anxiety disorders within the context of a clinical trial.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To examine the: (1) completion rate of the PRIME-MD by patients approached to enroll in a treatment study for PD and GAD; (2) distribution of anxiety diagnoses generated; (3) severity of PD and GAD episodes thus identified; and (4) level of PCPs' agreement with these diagnoses.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional interview.
  
  
  METHODS
  Individuals aged 18 to 64 who presented for care at 4 primary care practices.
  
  
  METHODS
  The PRIME-MD, Structured Interview Guide for the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (SIGH-A), and the Panic Disorder Severity Scale (PDSS).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 6,700 patients who completed the PRIME-MD Patient Questionnaire (PQ), 2,926 (44%) screened positive for an anxiety disorder, and 1,216 (42%) met preliminary study eligibility and consented to the PRIME-MD Anxiety Module. Of these, 619 (51%) had either GAD (308), PD (94), or both (217) disorders. Later, 329 completed a telephone interview. Of these, 59% with GAD and 68% with PD reported moderate or greater levels of anxiety symptoms on the SIGH-A and PDSS, respectively, and PCPs agreed with the PRIME-MD diagnosis for 98% of these patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The PRIME-MD can efficiently screen patients for PD and GAD. Although patients thus identified endorse a wide range of anxiety symptoms, PCPs often agree with the diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Division of General Internal Medicine, Center for Research on Health Care, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA. rollmanbl@upmc.edu
authors.forename: Bruce L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Rollman
authors.forename: Bea Herbeck
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Belnap
authors.forename: Sati
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mazumdar
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Kurt
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kroenke
authors.forename: Herbert C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Schulberg
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Katherine Shear
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016584:Panic Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D018579:Patient Selection; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires