title: Recognition of anxiety disorders by the general practitioner: results from the DASMAP study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objectives were to determine the levels of general practitioner (GP) recognition of anxiety disorders and examine associated factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  An epidemiological survey was carried out in 77 primary care centers representative of Catalonia. A total of 3815 patients were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  GPs identified 185 of the 666 individuals diagnosed as meeting the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders (SCID-I) criteria for any anxiety disorder (sensitivity 0.28). Regarding specific anxiety disorders, panic disorder was registered in just three of the patients who, according to the SCID-I, did not meet the criteria for this condition .Generalized anxiety disorder was recorded by the GP in 46 cases, 4 of them being concordant with the SCID-I (sensitivity 0.03). The presence of comorbid hypertension was associated with an increased probability of recognition. Emotional problems as the patients' main complaint and additional appointments with a mental health specialist were associated with both adequate and erroneous recognition. Being female, having more frequent appointments with the GP and having higher levels of self-perceived stress were related to false positives. As disability increased, the probability of being erroneously detected decreased.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  GPs recognized anxiety disorders in some sufferers but still failed with respect to differentiating between anxiety disorder subtypes and disability assessment.
authors.affiliation: Research and Development Unit, Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu, Fundació Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain. afernandez@pssjd.org
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fernández
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rubio-Valera
authors.forename: Juan A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Bellón
authors.forename: Alejandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pinto-Meza
authors.forename: Juan Vicente
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Luciano
authors.forename: Juan M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Mendive
authors.forename: Josep Maria
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Haro
authors.forename: Diego J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Palao
authors.forename: Antoni
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Serrano-Blanco
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D005260:Female; D058005:General Practitioners; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011320:Primary Health Care; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult