[Clinical prevalence and reason for visit of patients with generalized anxiety disorder seen in the psychiatry out-patient clinics in Spain. Results of the LIGANDO study].
BACKGROUND
Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is frequent and has a great impact on quality of life. Its prevalence in the general population and in primary care has been established previously in Spain; however it still must be determined in the mental health.


METHODS
An epidemiological, multicenter and cross-sectional study was carried out, collecting demographic data, reason for consultation and presence of GAD diagnosis according to ICD-10 criteria of their first 75 visiting patients on a randomly selected representative sample of 312 psychiatrists.


RESULTS
Data from 20,347 subjects was recorded. Clinic prevalence of GAD was 13.7% (95% confidence interval: 13.3-14.2). The most frequent reason for psychiatric consultation was depressive symptoms (26.7%) followed by symptoms of anxiety (18.2%). In 71.4% of GAD patients, the reason for consultation was anxiety symptoms.


CONCLUSIONS
GAD clinic prevalence in Spain is high. Almost one out of three GAD-patients visits the psychiatrist office for a reason other than this condition.
Caballero
L
L
Psychiatry Department, Hospital Puerta de Hierro, Madrid, Spain. luiscabmar@yahoo.es
Bobes
J
J
Vilardaga
I
I
Rejas
J
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities; D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D013030:Spain; D055815:Young Adult