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Ethnic differences in the reliability and validity of a Panic Disorder Screen
Michael R Johnson1, Abraham G Hartzema, Terry L Mills
1University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610-0496, USA.
Ethnicity & Health
|April 25, 2007
Summary
The Brief Panic Disorder Screen (BPDS) shows lower reliability and validity in African Americans compared to Caucasians. Cultural factors may influence anxiety disorder symptom reporting and screening tool accuracy in diverse primary care settings.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Clinical Psychology
- Health Services Research
Background:
- Accurate diagnosis of panic disorder (PD) is crucial in primary care.
- Screening tools must demonstrate reliability and validity across diverse populations.
- Cultural variations in symptom expression can impact diagnostic accuracy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the reliability and validity of the Brief Panic Disorder Screen (BPDS) between African American and Caucasian American primary care patients.
- To assess the performance of the BPDS across different ethnic groups.
Main Methods:
- Administered the BPDS to 295 primary care patients.
- Established panic disorder diagnosis via clinical interview with a psychiatrist.
- Compared reliability (internal consistency) and validity (criterion validity) between ethnic subgroups.
Main Results:
- The BPDS exhibited higher reliability and validity in Caucasian patients than in African American patients.
- These differences persisted after controlling for demographic variables.
- African Americans with PD showed very low internal consistency; those without PD had higher false positive rates, particularly concerning fear of physical symptoms.
Conclusions:
- Cultural differences in language and meaning of anxiety symptoms may hinder accurate PD diagnosis in primary care.
- Further research is needed to understand cultural aspects of anxiety experiences.
- Improved screening tools are necessary for ethnic minority primary care populations.
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