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Anxiety in primary care

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Abstract

Anxiety disorders are common within primary care (PC) settings and are associated with patient functional impairment, distress, and high utilization of medical care services. Data from PC settings indicate that detection of anxiety disorders is low. Furthermore, adequate psychosocial and pharmacologic treatment of anxiety disorders in accordance with empirically validated guidelines remains low in PC. When patients do receive treatment or referrals from their PC providers, a bias exists for pharmacologic over psychological interventions despite theoretical strengths, empirical evidence, and long-term cost efficiency supporting the use of psychotherapeutic interventions such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). Objectives of this article include increasing awareness of the prevalence of anxiety disorders in PC, impairment associated with anxiety disorders, issues of detection of anxiety in PC, treatment model and components of CBT, and data supporting the application of CBT to PC to improve patient functioning.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. UCLA Department of Psychology, 405 Hilgard Avenue, Box 951563, 90095-1563, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    Kristen Hope Demertzis MA

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  1. Kristen Hope Demertzis MA
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  2. Michelle G. Craske PhD
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Correspondence to Kristen Hope Demertzis MA.

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Demertzis, K.H., Craske, M.G. Anxiety in primary care. Curr Psychiatry Rep 8, 291–297 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-006-0065-4

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