title: Co-morbid anxiety disorders in patients with schizophrenia in a tertiary institution in South East Nigeria: prevalence and correlates.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Anxiety disorders occur commonly in schizophrenia but are often overlooked by psychiatrists. Their presence may compound the challenges faced by these patients and may contribute to poor outcome.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of anxiety disorders among the participants with schizophrenia, and the association between this co-morbidity and disability.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 367 participants were recruited from the out-patient department of Federal neuropsychiatric hospital Enugu, Nigeria. Socio-demographic questionnaire, schedules for clinical assessment in neuropsychiatry, positive and negative syndrome scale and the 12-item version of the World Health Organization disability assessment schedule were administered.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 189 females (51.5%) and 178 (48.5%) males were studied. A lifetime prevalence of 12.3% was reported for anxiety disorder. Anxiety disorder was more likely in females (ϰ(2)=4.93, p<0.03). Specific prevalence for anxiety disorder in schizophrenia was generalized anxiety disorder 6.3%, obsessive compulsive disorder 3.3%, and phobic anxiety disorder 2.7%. Anxiety disorder was associated with increased disability (t=3.50, p<0.001) and psychopathology (t=3.40, p<0.001) among the participants studied. Phobias were associated with prescription of low doses of antipsychotics (ϰ(2)=4.08, p<0.04). There was a low rate of identification of anxiety disorder in routine clinical practice (k=0.08, p<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Co-morbid anxiety disorders are common in schizophrenia and they are associated with increased disability and psychopathology. The results emphasize the need to screen for anxiety disorders in patients with schizophrenia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Imo State University Teaching Hospital, Orlu, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Chinyere
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Aguocha
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Imo State University Teaching Hospital, Orlu, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Kelechi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Aguocha
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Uwakwe
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Gabriel
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Onyeama
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D010045:Outpatients / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010698:Phobic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D015995:Prevalence; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: anxiety disorder; co-morbidity; schizophrenia
references.citation: J Nerv Ment Dis. 2007 May;195(5):406-14
references.pmid: 17502806
references.citation: Am J Psychiatry. 2002 Apr;159(4):592-8
references.pmid: 11925297
references.citation: Schizophr Res. 2001 Apr 30;49(3):269-85
references.pmid: 11356588
references.citation: Psychiatry (Edgmont). 2006 Sep;3(9):34-41
references.pmid: 20975826
references.citation: Harv Rev Psychiatry. 1995 Jul-Aug;3(2):75-83
references.pmid: 9384932
references.citation: Eur Psychiatry. 1999 Jun;14(3):118-31
references.pmid: 10572336
references.citation: Acta Psychiatr Scand. 2009 Aug;120(2):160-4
references.pmid: 19416124
references.citation: J Psychiatr Res. 2005 Jul;39(4):409-14
references.pmid: 15804391
references.citation: J Psychiatry Neurosci. 2005 May;30(3):187-93
references.pmid: 15944743
references.citation: Int J Soc Psychiatry. 2009 May;55(3):198-202
references.pmid: 19383663
references.citation: Compr Psychiatry. 1989 Jul-Aug;30(4):283-95
references.pmid: 2667880
references.citation: Aust N Z J Psychiatry. 1998 Feb;32(1):67-72
references.pmid: 9565185
references.citation: J Clin Psychiatry. 2003 Nov;64(11):1300-7
references.pmid: 14658943
references.citation: J Clin Psychiatry. 2008 Oct;69(10):1606-16
references.pmid: 19192444
references.citation: J Psychiatr Res. 2000 Mar-Apr;34(2):139-46
references.pmid: 10758256
references.citation: Compr Psychiatry. 2007 Jul-Aug;48(4):371-5
references.pmid: 17560959
references.citation: World Psychiatry. 2010 Feb;9(1):50-5
references.pmid: 20148161
references.citation: Am J Psychiatry. 2004 Jan;161(1):53-8
references.pmid: 14702250
references.citation: Soc Sci Med. 1984;19(8):831-7
references.pmid: 6505749
references.citation: J Nerv Ment Dis. 2000 Feb;188(2):78-83
references.pmid: 10695835
references.citation: Int J Psychiatry Clin Pract. 2009;13(4):312-7
references.pmid: 24916943
references.citation: Psychiatr Serv. 2001 Sep;52(9):1216-22
references.pmid: 11533396
references.citation: Aust N Z J Psychiatry. 1996 Jun;30(3):350-3
references.pmid: 8839946
references.citation: Am J Psychiatry. 1998 Jan;155(1):129-30
references.pmid: 9433352