Diagnoses of anxiety and depression in clinical-scenario patients: survey of Saskatchewan family physicians.

objectiveTo investigate family physicians' differential diagnoses of clinical-scenario patients presenting with symptoms of either generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) or a major depressive episode (MDE).

designCross-sectional survey.

settingSaskatchewan.

participantsA total of 331 family physicians practising in Saskatchewan as of December 2007.

main outcome measuresType and number of physicians' differential diagnoses for a GAD-scenario patient and an MDE-scenario patient.

resultsThe survey response rate was 49.7% (331 of 666 surveys returned). Most physicians suggested a diagnosis of anxiety (82.5%) for the GAD-scenario patient and a diagnosis of depression (84.2%) for the MDE-scenario patient. In descending order, the 5 most frequent differential diagnoses for the GAD-scenario patient were anxiety, hyperthyroidism, depression, panic disorder or attack, and bipolar disorder. The 5 most frequent differential diagnoses for the MDE-scenario patient were depression, anxiety, hypothyroidism, irritable bowel syndrome, and anemia. Neither a diagnosis of anxiety nor a diagnosis of depression was associated with physicians' personal attributes (sex, age, and years in practice) or organizational setting (number of total patient visits per week, private office or clinic, solo practice, Internet access, and rural practice setting). However, physicians in solo practice suggested fewer differential diagnoses for the GAD-scenario patient than those in group practice; physicians in practice 30 years or longer suggested fewer differential diagnoses for the MDE-scenario patient than those in practice fewer than 10 years. On average, physicians suggested 3 differential diagnoses for each of the scenarios.

conclusionMost family physicians recognize depression and anxiety in patients presenting with symptoms of these disorders and consider an average of 3 differential diagnoses in each of these cases.