Mental health service use and treatment adequacy for anxiety disorders in Canada.
BACKGROUND
This study examined mental health service use, minimal standards of treatment adequacy and correlates of service use and treatment adequacy for anxiety disorders in Canada.


METHODS
Data were drawn from the Canadian Community Health Survey: Mental Health and Well-Being (CCHS 1.2, 2002). Respondents (n = 1,803) met criteria for panic disorder, agoraphobia and/or social phobia in the past 12 months. Multiple logistic regression models were used to estimate patterns of associations between respondent characteristics, service use and treatment adequacy.


RESULTS
The prevalence of service use for mental health problems in the past 12 months was approximately 36.9% among respondents with anxiety disorders. The rates of minimal standards of treatment adequacy ranged from 36.8% among those consulting exclusively in primary care to 51.5% among those consulting exclusively in specialised mental health services, and reached 79.5% for respondents consulting healthcare professionals in both sectors of care. Correlates of treatment adequacy included age, education level, marital status, urbanicity medical insurance, acceptability of care, comorbid mental disorders and limitations of activities.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings emphasize the need to improve the access to mental health services and the quality of care for individuals with anxiety disorders in primary care.
Roberge
Pasquale
P
Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada. pasquale.roberge@inspq.qc.ca
Fournier
Louise
L
Duhoux
Arnaud
A
Nguyen
Cat Tuong
CT
Smolders
Mirrian
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D002170:Canada / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D055815:Young Adult