Identifying anxiety and depressive disorders among primary care patients: a pilot study

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Public Health
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Anxiety and depression are significant mental health concerns in primary care settings.
• Accurate prevalence data is crucial for effective public health strategies and resource allocation.
• The Arabic version of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HAD) is a validated tool for screening these disorders.

Purpose of the Study:

• To estimate the prevalence of depressive and anxiety disorders among Saudi primary care attenders.
• To assess the utility of the Arabic HAD scale in a primary care population.
• To identify potential gender-based differences in the prevalence of these disorders.

Main Methods:

• A pilot study was conducted using a one-stage case-identification method.
• The Arabic Version of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HAD) was administered to Saudi primary care patients.
• The validity, sensitivity, and specificity of the Arabic HAD scale were previously established.

Main Results:

• The total prevalence of depression was 17% and anxiety was 16%.
• Seven percent of patients experienced both depression and anxiety, leading to a combined prevalence of 26%.
• Higher depression rates were observed in female patients, while anxiety rates were higher in male patients.

Conclusions:

• The Arabic HAD scale is a valid and effective tool for identifying anxiety and depression in Saudi primary care.
• Significant prevalence rates of depression and anxiety disorders were found in this population.
• Gender-specific patterns in the morbidity of depression and anxiety warrant further investigation and targeted interventions.