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Factors affecting the threshold for seeking care: the Panic Attack Care-Seeking Threshold (PACT) Study
1Department of Family Practice, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio 78284-7795.
Summary
Nearly half of adults experiencing panic attacks do not seek medical care. Factors like needing a ride, work disruption, and illness perceptions influence care-seeking behavior for panic disorder.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Mental Health Research
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Panic attacks are a common reason for seeking medical care.
- Understanding factors influencing care-seeking for panic attacks is crucial for public health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the phenomenon of seeking medical care for panic attacks.
- To identify factors associated with seeking care among adults with panic attacks.
Main Methods:
- A community sample of adults was screened using the Structured Clinical Interview for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 3rd edition.
- Participants with panic attacks underwent a structured interview assessing healthcare access, panic characteristics, comorbidity, illness attitudes, and family factors.
Main Results:
- Forty-one percent of subjects did not seek medical care for panic attacks.
- Independent predictors of seeking care included needing transportation (RR=1.8), inability to work (RR=1.6), and high treatment experience scores (RR=1.5).
- Care seekers reported more severe symptoms, stronger symptom perceptions, greater bodily preoccupation, and higher rates of drug abuse, but care-seeking was not influenced by sex, race, stress, comorbidity, social support, or healthcare access.
Conclusions:
- Nearly half of individuals experiencing panic attacks do not seek professional medical care.
- Differences between those who seek and do not seek care highlight the complexity of panic disorder management and understanding.