ArticleSocial psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology2022
Trends in the recording of anxiety in UK primary care: a multi-method approach.
Article in Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 19 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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Who cites it
19 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 36 citations in OpenAlex.
- Genome-wide meta-analysis of quantitatively measured generalized anxiety symptoms in individuals of European ancestry.Nature human behaviour · 2026Pooled it
- Exploring the role of modifiable sex/gender-specific risk and protective factors for anxiety among young people in high income countries: a systematic narrative review.BMC public health · 2026Pooled it
- Effects of online mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) on anxiety symptoms in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMC complementary medicine and therapies · 2023Pooled it
- Antidepressant Prescribing Trends for Adults With and Without Autism in the United Kingdom From 1997 to 2023: A Population-Based Cohort Study Using Clinical Practice Research Datalink Aurum.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism Research · 2026Article
- Heritability of generalized anxiety stability: a longitudinal twin study among young adults.Psychological medicine · 2025Article
- The Effectiveness of Social Media Campaigns in Improving Knowledge and Attitudes Toward Mental Health and Help-Seeking in High-Income Countries: Scoping Review.Journal of medical Internet research · 2025Article
- Common mental disorders in young adults: temporal trends in primary care episodes and self-reported symptoms.BMJ mental health · 2025Article
- Advancing mixed methods in mental health research.BMJ mental health · 2025Article
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- Young adults, particularly young women, account for an increasingly large share of Dutch mental healthcare expenditure over the period between 2015 and 2021.Epidemiology and psychiatric sciences · 2024Article
- Ethnic differences in depression and anxiety among adults with atopic eczema: Population-based matched cohort studies within UK primary care.Clinical and translational allergy · 2024Article
- Multimorbidity research: where one size does not fit all.BMJ medicine · 2024Article
- Seasonal trends in antidepressant prescribing, depression, anxiety and self-harm in adolescents and young adults: an open cohort study using English primary care data.BMJ mental health · 2023Article
- Common mental health disorders in adults with inflammatory skin conditions: nationwide population-based matched cohort studies in the UK.BMC medicine · 2023Article
- The risk of all-cause mortality associated with anxiety: a retrospective cohort study using 'The Health Improvement Network' database.BMC psychiatry · 2023Article
- Trends in the registration of anxiety in Belgian primary care from 2000 to 2021: a registry-based study.The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners · 2023Article
- Is the self-reporting of mental health problems sensitive to public stigma towards mental illness? A comparison of time trends across English regions (2009-19).Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology · 2023Article
- The Longitudinal Impact of Social Media Use on UK Adolescents' Mental Health: Longitudinal Observational Study.Journal of medical Internet research · 2023Observational
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Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
purposeAnxiety disorders are common. Between 1998 and 2008, in the UK, GP recording of anxiety symptoms increased, but the recording of anxiety disorders decreased. We do not know whether such trends have continued. This study examined recent trends in the recording of anxiety and explored factors that may influence GPs' coding of anxiety.
methodsWe used data from adults (n = 2,569,153) registered with UK general practices (n = 176) that contributed to the Clinical Practice Research Datalink between 2003 and 2018. Incidence rates and 95% confidence intervals were calculated for recorded anxiety symptoms and diagnoses and were stratified by age and gender. Joinpoint regression was used to estimate the years trends changed. In addition, in-depth interviews were conducted with 15 GPs to explore their views and management of anxiety. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed thematically.
resultsThe incidence of anxiety symptoms rose from 6.2/1000 person-years at risk (PYAR) in 2003 to 14.7/1000 PYAR in 2018. Between 2003 and 2008, the incidence of anxiety diagnoses fell from 13.2 to 10.1/1000 PYAR; markedly increasing between 2013 and 2018 to 15.3/1000 PYAR. GPs mentioned that they preferred using symptom codes to diagnostic codes to avoid assigning potentially stigmatising or unhelpful labels, and commented on a rise in anxiety in recent years, especially in young adults.
conclusionRecent increases in the recording of both anxiety diagnoses and symptoms may reflect increased presentation to primary care, especially in young adults. There is a clear need to understand the reasons for this, and this knowledge may be critical in the prevention and treatment of anxiety.
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