What question did this study set out to answer?

To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) scale compared with DSM-IV diagnostic criteria.

November 30, 2006Evidence-Based Medicine

The GAD-7 scale was accurate for diagnosing generalised anxiety disorder

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Authors

RSRichard P. SwinsonSt. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton

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Implication

Diagnostic accuracy study demonstrates reliable detection of generalised anxiety disorder in primary care outpatients, indicating strong utility as a clinical screening tool.

Key Points

To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) scale compared with DSM-IV diagnostic criteria.
Blinded diagnostic comparison study conducted across 13 family practices and 2 internal medicine clinics in the United States.
A random sample of 965 patients (aged 18–95 years; mean age 47 years; 65% women, 80% white) out of 2,739 participants who completed the self-administered GAD-7 questionnaire were evaluated against the DSM-IV reference standard.
The GAD-7 assessed anxiety symptom frequency over the previous two weeks using a 4-point Likert scale (0 = not at all to 3 = nearly every day) across seven items.
The GAD-7 scale demonstrated high diagnostic accuracy for identifying generalised anxiety disorder when benchmarked against structured DSM-IV clinical criteria.
The brief self-report format effectively differentiated patients meeting formal diagnostic thresholds for generalised anxiety disorder within routine primary care settings.

Cite This Study

Richard P. Swinson (2006) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a842444ac510c864ff2f9db https://doi.org/10.1136/ebm.11.6.184

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Implication

Diagnostic accuracy study demonstrates reliable detection of generalised anxiety disorder in primary care outpatients, indicating strong utility as a clinical screening tool.

The GAD-7 scale was accurate for diagnosing generalised anxiety disorder

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Key Points

Cite This Study

The GAD-7 scale was accurate for diagnosing generalised anxiety disorder

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Key Points

Cite This Study

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