Generalized Anxiety Disorder in Primary Care: The Precursor/Modifier Pathway to Increased Health Care Utilization

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is commonly seen in the primary care setting and is associatedwith disability, medically unexplained symptoms, and over utilization of health care resources.The authors review the rare occurrence of GAD uncomplicated by other psychiatric illness and theimportant relationship between GAD and depression. They suggest that GAD may exert its major effecton health care utilization not by a direct path, but by acting as a precursor or concurrent modifierof other psychiatric disorders that more directly affect health care costs.