Severity of anxiety and work-related outcomes of patients with anxiety disorders.
BACKGROUND
This study examined associations between anxiety and work-related outcomes in an anxiety disorders clinic population, examining both pretreatment links and the impact of anxiety change over 12 weeks of treatment on work outcomes. Four validated instruments were used to also allow examination of their psychometric properties, with the goal of improving measurement of work-related quality of life in this population.


METHODS
Newly enrolled adult patients seeking treatment in a university-based anxiety clinic were administered four work performance measures: Work Limitations Questionnaire (WLQ), Work Productivity and Activity Impairment Questionnaire (WPAI), Endicott Work Productivity Scale (EWPS), and Functional Status Questionnaire Work Performance Scale (WPS). Anxiety severity was determined using the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). The Clinical Global Impressions, Global Improvement Scale (CGI-I) was completed by patients to evaluate symptom change at a 12-week follow-up. Two severity groups (minimal/mild vs. moderate/severe, based on baseline BAI score) were compared to each other on work measures.


RESULTS
Eighty-one patients provided complete baseline data. Anxiety severity groups did not differ in job type, time on job, job satisfaction, or job choice. Patients with greater anxiety generally showed lower work performance on all instruments. Job advancement was impaired for the moderate/severe group. The multi-item performance scales demonstrated better validity and internal consistency. The WLQ and the WPAI detected change with symptom improvement.


CONCLUSIONS
Level of work performance was generally associated with severity of anxiety. Of the instruments tested, the WLQ and the WPAI questionnaire demonstrated acceptable validity and internal reliability.
Erickson
Steven R
SR
College of Pharmacy, University of Michigan, Michigan 48109-1065, USA. serick@umich.edu
Guthrie
Sally
S
Vanetten-Lee
Michelle
M
Himle
Joseph
J
Hoffman
Jody
J
Santos
Susana F
SF
Janeck
Amy S
AS
Zivin
Kara
K
Abelson
James L
JL
D000041:Absenteeism; D000328:Adult; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D002321:Career Choice; D002322:Career Mobility; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D016584:Panic Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010698:Phobic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D011594:Psychometrics; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D012050:Rehabilitation, Vocational