title: Which factors influence onset and latency to treatment in generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder?
abstract: Anxiety disorders are common, comorbid, and disabling conditions, often underdiagnosed and under-treated, typically with an early onset, chronic course, and prolonged duration of untreated illness. The present study aimed to explore the influence of sociodemographic and clinical factors in relation to onset and latency to treatment in patients with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), panic disorder (PD), and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). A total of 157 patients with a Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th ed. Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR) diagnosis of PD (n=49), GAD (n=68), and OCD (n=40) were recruited, and epidemiological and clinical variables were collected through a specific questionnaire. Statistical analyses were carried out to compare variables across diagnostic groups. PD, GAD, and OCD patients showed a duration of untreated illness of 53.9±81.5, 77.47±95.76, and 90.6±112.1 months, respectively. Significant differences between groups were found with respect to age, age of first diagnosis, age of first treatment, family history of psychiatric illness, onset-related stressful events, benzodiazepine prescription as first treatment, antidepressant prescription as first treatment, and help-seeking (self-initiated vs. initiated by others). Patients with GAD, PD, and OCD showed significant differences in factors influencing onset and latency to treatment, which may, in turn, affect condition-related outcome and overall prognosis. Further studies with larger samples are warranted in the field.
authors.affiliation: aDepartment of Neuroscience, University of Milan, Department of Mental Health, Fondazione IRCCS Cà Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Polilclinico bDepartment of Surgery and Translational Medicine, University of Milano Bicocca, Milan cDepartment of Public Health, Section of Psychiatry and Psychiatric Clinic, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy dDepartment of Psychiatry, Bipolar Disorders Clinic, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA eDepartment of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.
authors.forename: Beatrice
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Benatti
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Camuri
authors.forename: Bernardo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dell'Osso
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cremaschi
authors.forename: Ester
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sembira
authors.forename: Carlotta
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Palazzo
authors.forename: Lucio
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Oldani
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dobrea
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Arici
authors.forename: Diego
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Primavera
authors.forename: Bernardo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Carpiniello
authors.forename: Filippo
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Castellano
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Carrà
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Clerici
authors.forename: David S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Baldwin
authors.forename: Alfredo Carlo
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Altamura
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D016584:Panic Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D061665:Time-to-Treatment
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents