Factors influencing health perceptions in patients with panic disorder

Subjective perceptions of health have been found to be related to a variety of consequential variables including health care utilization and mortality. A number of studies have found that patients with panic disorders generally perceive themselves as having poor health. However, factors underlying self-perceptions of health are largely unexplored in this population. The present study examined three factors believed to contribute to health perceptions: (1) presence of comorbid medical conditions, (2) tendency to somaticize or worry about health, and (3) level of co-occurring depression. The sample consisted of 81 patients who met DSM-III-R criteria for panic disorder. An assessment battery that determined self-perceptions of health, level of depression, and the major clinical dimensions of panic disorder (i.e., panic attacks, anxiety, and phobic avoidance) was administered to all participants. As predicted, analyses indicated that each of the hypothesized factors was significantly related to poorer perceived health. Setwise hierarchical multiple regression analyses controlling for demographic variables indicated that health perceptions are strongly and independently associated with depression and the presence of a medical condition. Subjective health perceptions in panic disorder are multifactorial and are related to both realistic appraisals of health and distorted perceptions caused by depressed mood.