Individual research recommendation details

Recommendation ID

CG123/3

Question

Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale (GAD-2) for people with suspected anxiety disorders:- In people with suspected anxiety disorders, what is the clinical utility of using the GAD-2 compared with routine case identification to accurately identify different anxiety disorders? Should an avoidance question be added to improve case identification?

Any explanatory notes
(if applicable)

Why is this important?:- There is good evidence of poor detection and under-recognition in primary care of anxiety disorders. Case identification questions for anxiety disorders are not well developed. There is reasonable evidence that the Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale (GAD-2) may have clinical utility as a case identification tool for anxiety disorders, in particular generalised anxiety disorder, but there is greater uncertainly about its utility for other anxiety disorders, especially those with an element of phobic avoidance. Understanding whether the GAD-2 plus or minus an additional phobia question would improve case identification for different anxiety disorders would be an important contribution to their identification.
These questions should be answered by a well-designed cohort study in which the GAD-2 is compared with a diagnostic gold-standard for a range of anxiety disorders. The cost effectiveness of this approach should also be assessed.

Source guidance details

Comes from guidance

Common mental health problems: identification and pathways to care

Number

CG123

Date issued

May 2011

Other details