Panic disorder among American Indians: a descriptive study

Little is known about panic disorder among American Indians. In a pilot project involving two Northwest Coast Indian villages, community health representatives screened the population for panic disorder, substance abuse, and major depression using DSM-III criteria. Accompanying the screening were subsequent patient education and further evaluation by a psychiatrist, a social worker, and primary care physicians. Of fifty community residents who agreed to take the screening examination, seven were found who met diagnostic criteria for panic disorder. Four of the seven had symptoms of alcohol abuse which complicated the course and diagnosis of panic disorder, and individuals with panic disorder reported more than twice the lifetime prevalence of depression in comparison with other community members. Limitations of the study and refinements of study design are needed in future study discussions.