Prevalence of Depression and Anxiety in Patients Seeking Medical Care at General Health Care Settings in China

Prevalence of Depression and Anxiety in Patients Seeking Medical Care at General Health Care Settings in 5 Large Cities in China

Objectives: Primary: To estimate the prevalence of depression and/or anxiety disorder in outpatients attending the general health care settings in China.

Secondary:

• To estimate gender- and age-specific prevalence of depression and/or anxiety disorder in outpatients attending the general health care settings in China.
• To estimate the prevalence of depression and/or anxiety disorder in outpatients attending the general health care settings such as departments of neurology, gastroenterology, cardiology, and gynecology.
• To describe the recognition and treatment rate by treating physicians as depression and/or anxiety for outpatients in the general health care settings in China.

This study is designed to investigate the status of identifying depression and/or anxiety disorder with somatic symptoms in general hospitals in China. The study will generate valuable information to the medical community; therefore the early and vigorous treatment is possible. It's in line with China government authorities' target to increase the recognition rate of depression and/or anxiety in primary care settings to more than 50% by the end of 2010. The study will also help to identify specific diagnosis and treatment patterns for depressive / anxious patients and their comorbid conditions.

Main Inclusion Criteria:

• Greater than or equal to 18 years.
• Consecutive general internal medical outpatients attending the selected general hospitals in the investigate days(Department of neurology, gastrointestinal, cardiology and gynecology).
• Informed consent obtained for all patients who will undergo a standardized diagnostic assessment by specialized psychiatrists.

Main Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients who have been screened on a previous visit.
• Patients who are unable to complete the survey because of mental or physical incapacity.