Abstract
Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is understudied in Asian communities. There were 3,304 Chinese subjects (aged 15–60 years) randomly drawn from the general population of Hong Kong and successfully interviewed. The participation rate was 65.8%. The six-month prevalence of DSM-IV GAD was 4.1%. Over half of the GAD subjects reported palpitations and bowel symptoms. Comorbid depressive mood (65%) and substance use (35%) were common. Forty-one percent of GAD subjects sought help, usually from general practitioners who prescribed tranquilizers after negative physical investigations. Telephone-based surveys have limitations but provide an affordable and destigmatizing alternative to face-to-face surveys for communities with limited mental health resources.
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Sing Lee is a Professor in the Department of Psychiatry, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong, P.R. China. Adley Tsang and Helena Chui were research assistants, and Kathleen Kwok and Emily Cheung are Clinical Psychologists in the Hong Kong Mood Disorders Center, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong, P.R. China
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Lee, S., Tsang, A., Chui, H. et al. A Community Epidemiological Survey of Generalized Anxiety Disorder in Hong Kong. Community Ment Health J 43, 305–319 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-006-9077-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-006-9077-0