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Center differences and cross-national invariance in help-seeking for panic disorder

A report from the cross-national collaborative panic study

Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology volume 27, pages 135–141 (1992)Cite this article

Summary

Help-seeking behaviour for treatment of panic disorder was investigated in the sample of the Cross-National Collaborative Panic Study Second Phase. A total of 1168 patients were entered into this trial in 14 countries. Although there were significant center differences in prior treatment and utilization of health services there were also similarities. Treatment had been provided mainly by general practitioners. Drug treatment consisted mostly of prescription of classical tranquilizers and had a longer duration than treatment by psychotherapy. Patients with agoraphobic avoidance, past major depression and longer duration of illness used medical and psychiatric treatment facilities more intensely. Older and more severely disabled subjects were more frequently treated by medical health care providers and were more likely to receive psychotropic drugs. The results indicate that general practitioners carry an important load in the treatment of panic disorders but may need more information about recent developments in pharmacotherapy for this condition.

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Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, University of Mainz, Untere Zahlbacher Straße 8, W-6500, Mainz, FRG

    R. Buller & Patrizia Winter

  2. Department of Psychiatry, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria

    Michaela Amering & H. Katschnig

  3. Biostatistics Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, USA

    P. W. Lavori

  4. Anxiety and Depression Clinic, New York Hospital-Cornell University Medical Center, Westchester Division, White Plains, New York, USA

    J. A. Deltito

  5. Department of Psychiatry, Cornell University Medical Center, Payne Whitney Clinic, New York, USA

    G. L. Klerman

Authors
  1. R. Buller
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  2. Patrizia Winter
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  3. Michaela Amering
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  4. H. Katschnig
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  5. P. W. Lavori
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  6. J. A. Deltito
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  7. G. L. Klerman
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Buller, R., Winter, P., Amering, M. et al. Center differences and cross-national invariance in help-seeking for panic disorder. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 27, 135–141 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00788759

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00788759

Keywords

  • Care Provider
  • General Practitioner
  • Health Care Provider
  • Major Depression
  • Center Difference