SCREENING FOR ANXIETY DISORDERS IN THE PRIMARY-CARE SEATING

It is important to identify patients with anxiety disorders in the pri mary care setting so that they may be appropriately treated. The autho rs propose administration of a brief, 40-item screening instrument, th e Four Dimensional Anxiety Scale (FDAS), to distinguish anxiety disord ers from anxiety associated with medical conditions and from normal an xiety. For anxiety disorders patients, responses to five items on the FDAS Emotional dimension and 10 items on the Cognitive dimension diffe r significantly from medical patients or normals, and may help identif y them. With such early identification and referral, medical costs of inappropriate care can be minimized, and human suffering can be allevi ated through referral to a specialty anxiety disorders clinic.