Anxiety is the most common mental health condition experienced in the Australian population, affecting 17% of adults (aged 16–85 years) and 7% of children (aged 4–15 years).1 Anxiety commonly co-exists with other mental health conditions, particularly depression.2,3 It is estimated that 23% of men and 34% of women aged 16–85 years have experienced any anxiety disorder in their lives.1 Yet, feeling anxious is also a common experience of all people, especially at times of ill health, when they are more likely to consult their GP. So the GP’s task is not only to detect and offer appropriate treatment options to those who meet the diagnostic criteria for anxiety, but also, equally, to offer reassurance and practical advice to people in distress, aiming to prevent the progression of that worry to something more serious. Fortunately, there are some very simple, brief questions the GP can use that are reasonably specific and sensitive to the probability of an anxiety disorder;4,5 hence they can be used as part of a case finding approach to more efficiently detect patients who need a more thorough assessment.
There is a risk of underdiagnosis and delayed diagnosis because many people do not seek treatment. GPs should be aware of a patient’s worries about stigma and that under-reporting by patients is common.6