A community study of generalized anxiety disorder with vs. without health anxiety in Hong Kong.
BACKGROUND
Although generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is characterized by multiple worries, anxiety about one's health is absent in the DSM-IV description of the illness.


METHODS
A random community-based telephone survey (N = 2005) that covered DSM-IV symptoms of GAD, two core symptoms of major depression, Rome-III criteria of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Sheehan Disability Scale (SDS), and help-seeking behavior was conducted.


RESULTS
The 1-year prevalence of 3-month GAD was 5.4%. Among affected individuals, 78.9% reported worry about personal health while 21.1% did not. The former subgroup was significantly older, had higher mean numbers of associated anxiety symptoms and worries, more likely to have worry about finances and sought professional help than the latter subgroup. The two subgroups had similar sex distribution, core depressive symptoms, IBS, distress and SDS impairment profiles.


CONCLUSIONS
Health anxiety is common in GAD. Some but not all illness severity indicators differed between GAD with and without health anxiety.
Department of Psychiatry, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China. singlee@cuhk.edu.hk
Sing
S
Lee
Yee Ling
YL
Ma
Adley
A
Tsang
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006723:Hong Kong / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales