Cited by 267Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive ProcessesMental Health Treatment and AccessChild and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development

The prevalence and burden of subthreshold generalized anxiety disorder: a systematic review

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Haller, Heidemarie, Cramer, Holger, Lauche, Romy, Gass, Florian, Dobos, Gustav J·2014·BMC Psychiatry

Abstract

Background: To review the prevalence and impact of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) below the diagnostic threshold and explore its treatment needs in times of scarce healthcare resources. Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted until January 2013 using PUBMED/MEDLINE, PSYCINFO, EMBASE and reference lists to identify epidemiological studies of subthreshold GAD, i.e. GAD symptoms that do not reach the current thresholds of DSM-III-R, DSM-IV or ICD-10. Quality of all included studies was assessed and median prevalences of subthreshold GAD were calculated for different subpopulations. Results: Inclusion criteria led to 15 high-quality and 3 low-quality epidemiological studies with a total of 48,214 participants being reviewed. Whilst GAD proved to be a common mental health disorder, the prevalence for subthreshold GAD was twice that for the full syndrome. Subthreshold GAD is typically persistent, causing considerably more suffering and impairment in psychosocial and work functioning, benzodiazepine and primary health care use, than in non-anxious individuals. Subthreshold GAD can also increase the risk of onset and worsen the course of a range of comorbid mental health, pain and somatic disorders; further increasing costs. Results are robust against bias due to low study quality. Conclusions: Subthreshold GAD is a common, recurrent and impairing disease with verifiable morbidity that claims significant healthcare resources. As such, it should receive additional research and clinical attention.

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Authors
Haller, H., Cramer, H., Lauche, R., Gass, F., & Dobos, G. J.
Affiliations
Kliniken Essen-Mitte (DE)
Corresponding author
Dobos, Gustav J
Venue
BMC Psychiatry
Published
2014-05-01
Volume
14
Issue
1
Pages
128-128
ISSN
1471-244X (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2041463522
Cited by
267
References
79
Citations by year
2026: 11 · 2025: 28 · 2024: 34 · 2023: 25 · 2022: 31 · 2021: 34 · 2020: 32 · 2019: 18 · 2018: 17 · 2017: 12 · 2016: 11 · 2015: 13 · 2014: 1
FWCI
1.67
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • BMC Psychiatry (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DuEPublico (University of Duisburg-Essen) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • Universitätsbibliographie, Universität Duisburg-Essen (submittedVersion)
  • UTS ePRESS (University of Technology Sydney) (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Mental Health Treatment and Access
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
Keywords
generalized anxiety disorder, prevalence, disease burden, psychosocial impairment, work functioning, benzodiazepine use, primary care utilization, comorbidities, health care costs, DSM-III-R, DSM-IV, ICD-10
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Adult, Anxiety Disorders, Female, Humans, Male, Primary Health Care, Comorbidity, Prevalence, Cost of Illness, International Classification of Diseases, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders

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