Prevalence and associated factors of panic and phobic disorders in primary care

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Published Feb 25, 2015
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Vol. 92 No. 11 (2014): Issue Nov 2014

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Jaafar Nakhli
Sawssen Bouhlel
Ahmed Souhaiel Bannour
Ayoub Abdulrahim
Yousri EL Kissi
Selma Ben Nasr
Béchir Ben Hadj Ali

Abstract

Background: Panic and phobic disorders are the most common anxiety disorders in the general population. They can be a source of suffering, disability and are often complicated by other psychiatric disorders. Aims: To estimate the prevalence of panic disorder, agoraphobia, social phobia and specific phobia and to assess associated sociodemographic characteristics in primary care patients in Sousse governorate.

Methods: A systematic sample of 1246 adults who presented to 30 different primary care units in Sousse for a medical appointment was recruited in a cross- section epidemiological study. The Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI 2.1) was used to diagnose the concerned anxiety disorders.

Results: The lifetime prevalence of panic disorder, agoraphobia, social phobia and specific phobia were respectively 1.3%, 2.5%, 6.2% and 24.6%. The female gender was significantly predominant in social and specific phobia. The young age was found significantly in subjects with social phobia. These anxiety disorders were significantly predominant in rural areas, except for social phobia. All of these disorders have a chronic course with an index of chronicity ranging from 71 to 80%.

Conclusion: Our study provides further evidence of the high prevalence of anxiety disorders in primary care and highlights the particular need for general physicians to diagnose and treat correctly these disorders.

Keywords:

Panic-phobia- primary care-CIDI

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