Human and economic burden of GAD, subthreshold GAD, and worry in a primary care sample

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) has been associated with significant impairment and estimates of human and economic burden associated with the disorder are substantial. Little has been done, however, to examine impairment associated with subthreshold presentations of the disorder in medically underserved populations. This study compared primary care patients with GAD (n = 30), subthreshold GAD (n = 21), worry (n = 79), and no worry (n = 199) on measures of human and economic burden. On measures of human burden, all three symptomatic groups reported poorer perceived physical health, greater stress, and sleep difficulty. Worried and subthreshold groups also reported lower social support. For economic burden, GAD and worry groups reported a greater number of prescription medications. However, when co-morbid depression was accounted for the effect was no longer significant. Groups did not differ on employment status, number of visits to the clinic in the last 90 days, or physical health. Results are discussed in terms of identification, prevention, and intervention for GAD in primary care settings.