Prevalence and service implications of health anxiety in genitourinary medicine clinics

A comparison of the prevalence of health anxiety in genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinics in two UK centres was carried out using a new rating scale, the Health Anxiety Inventory (HAI). The relationship of health anxiety to demographic and clinical variables, and its impact on service contacts, was also examined in one of these centres. 694 patients were assessed and significant health anxiety was identified in 8–11%. HAI scores were stable over time and high levels persisted in the absence of treatment. Attenders with sexually transmitted infections had significantly lower levels of health anxiety than those with other conditions. Contacts with clinic doctors and health advisors in the nine months before and after assessment were significantly greater in those with high health anxiety, with doctor appointments 37% higher in the high HAI group ( P = 0.005). Health anxiety is a source of considerable morbidity in GUM clinics deserving further study.

Cognitive behaviour therapy for violent men with antisocial personality disorder in the community: an exploratory randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Little information exists on treatment effectiveness in antisocial personality disorder (ASPD). We investigated the feasibility and effectiveness of carrying out a randomized controlled trial of cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) in men with ASPD who were aggressive.

METHOD

This was an exploratory two-centre, randomized controlled trial in a community setting. Fifty-two adult men with a diagnosis of ASPD, with acts of aggression in the 6 months prior to the study, were randomized to either treatment as usual (TAU) plus CBT, or usual treatment alone. Change over 12 months of follow-up was assessed in the occurrence of any act of aggression and also in terms of alcohol misuse, mental state, beliefs and social functioning.

RESULTS

The follow-up rate was 79%. At 12 months, both groups reported a decrease in the occurrence of any acts of verbal or physical aggression. Trends in the data, in favour of CBT, were noted for problematic drinking, social functioning and beliefs about others.

CONCLUSIONS

CBT did not improve outcomes more than usual treatment for men with ASPD who are aggressive and living in the community in this exploratory study. However, the data suggest that a larger study is required to fully assess the effectiveness of CBT in reducing aggression, alcohol misuse and improving social functioning and view of others. It is feasible to carry out a rigorous randomized controlled trial in this group.

The Nottingham study of neurotic disorder: predictors of 12 year costs

OBJECTIVE

To examine the relationship between clinical, demographic and socio-economic characteristics and the long-term costs of a cohort of neurotic patients.

METHOD

Analysis of the costs of a cohort of 210 people entered in the Nottingham study of neurotic disorders, a randomized controlled evaluation of five treatments for neurotic disorders. Service use data were collected at 5 and 12 years after study entry. Multiple regression analyses were conducted.

RESULTS

The total cost per patient over the 12-year follow-up period was calculated to be $11,940 (SD $15,520) ( pound7450, SD pound9690). Higher costs were significantly associated with the presence of general neurotic syndrome, an initial diagnosis of dysthymia and a recurrent episode of illness.

CONCLUSION

The total costs of care for a range of neurotic disorders are broadly comparable with other estimates of costs reported in the literature for similar populations. Those responsible for higher costs in the longer-term have comorbid anxiety, depressive and personality disorders.

Temporal reliability of psychological assessments for patients in a special hospital with severe personality disorder: a preliminary note

BACKGROUND

The new programme for assessing those with dangerous and severe personality disorder relies heavily on psychological assessments of personality disorder and risk.

METHODS

The temporal reliability of assessments of psychopathy (PCL-R), risk (HCR-20) and personality was assessed using the International Personality Disorder Examination (IPDE) in 15 randomly selected male prisoners in a high secure hospital carried out at intervals varying between a mean of nine and 19 months after initial assessments by a variety of assessors.

RESULTS

Using the intra-class correlation coefficient the agreement varied between 0.57 (HCR-20), 0.58 (PCL-R) and 0.38-0.70 for IPDE personality disorders, with the best agreement for antisocial personality disorder (0.70).

COMMENT

These levels of agreement are consistent with other recent work on temporal reliability of personality instruments but are a little too low for confidence in these measures alone in the assessment process.

Persistent social dysfunction in anxious and depressed patients with personality disorder

OBJECTIVE

To determine the long-term social function of psychiatric patients with anxiety and depressive disorders and to relate this to personality status and other factors.

METHOD

A cohort of 210 patients (mean age 35 years) with dysthymic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder or panic disorder diagnosed using a structured interview (SCID) were assessed at baseline for personality status using the Personality Assessment Schedule (PAS) and ratings of anxiety and depression. Exactly 12 years later social function was assessed using the Social Functioning Questionnaire (SFQ) and personality reassessed with the PAS by a rater blind to initial personality status. Individual social function items were examined in those with and without personality disorders.

RESULTS

Social function was significantly better in those with little or no baseline personality disturbance (P < 0.001) and the domains of close relationships, stress in completing tasks, use of spare time and family relationships showed the largest personality differences. A multiple linear regression model showed that self-rated depression scores, single marital status and personality status were the main baseline variables predicting social function at 12 years.

CONCLUSION

Although personality characteristics may change over time social dysfunction persists and persistent social dysfunction in mental state disorders may be a strong indicator of personality disturbance rather than an indicator of treatment resistance.

Randomized controlled trial of brief cognitive behaviour therapy versus treatment as usual in recurrent deliberate self-harm: the POPMACT study

BACKGROUND

We carried out a large randomized trial of a brief form of cognitive therapy, manual-assisted cognitive behaviour therapy (MACT) versus treatment as usual (TAU) for deliberate self-harm.

METHOD

Patients presenting with recurrent deliberate self-harm in five centres were randomized to either MACT or (TAU) and followed up over 1 year. MACT patients received a booklet based on cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) principles and were offered up to five plus two booster sessions of CBT from a therapist in the first 3 months of the study. Ratings of parasuicide risk, anxiety, depression, social functioning and global function, positive and negative thinking, and quality of life were measured at baseline and after 6 and 12 months.

RESULTS

Four hundred and eighty patients were randomized. Sixty per cent of the MACT group had both the booklet and CBT sessions. There were seven suicides, five in the TAU group. The main outcome measure, the proportion of those repeating deliberate self-harm in the 12 months of the study, showed no significant difference between those treated with MACT (39%) and treatment as usual (46%) (OR 0.78, 95% CI 0.53 to 1.14, P=0.20).

CONCLUSION

Brief cognitive behaviour therapy is of limited efficacy in reducing self-harm repetition, but the findings taken in conjunctin with the economic evaluation (Byford et al. 2003) indicate superiority of MACT over TAU in terms of cost and effectiveness combined.

"Cold calling" in psychiatric follow up studies: is it justified?

BACKGROUND

The ethics of cold calling-visiting subjects at home without prior appointment agreed-in follow up research studies has received little attention although it is perceived to be quite common. We examined the ethical implications of cold calling in a study of subjects with defined neurotic disorders followed up 12 years after initial assessment carried out to determine outcome in terms of symptoms, social functioning, and contact with health services. The patients concerned were asked at original assessment if they would agree to be followed up subsequently and although they agreed no time limit was put on this.

OBJECTIVES

To decide if cold calling was ethically justifiable and, if so, to set guidelines for researchers.

DESIGN

The study was a cohort study of patients with neurotic disorder treated initially for 10 weeks in a randomised controlled trial.

FINDINGS

At follow up by a research medical practitioner 18 of the 210 patients had died and of the remaining 192 patients 186 (97%) were seen or had a telephone interview. Four patients refused and two others did not have interviews but agreed to some data being obtained. However, only 104 patients (54%) responded to letters inviting them to make an appointment or to refuse contact and the remainder were followed up by cold calling, with most patients agreeing readily to the research interview. The findings illustrate the dilemma of the need to get the maximum possible data from such studies to achieve scientific validity (and thereby justify the ethics of the study) and the protection of subjects' privacy and autonomy.

CONCLUSIONS

More attention needs to be paid to consent procedures if cold calling is to be defended on ethical grounds but it is unreasonable to expect this to be obtained at the beginning of a research study in a way that satisfies the requirements for informed consent. A suggested way forward is to obtain written consent for the research at the time that cold calling takes place before beginning the research.

Prospective studies of cothymia (mixed anxiety-depression): how do they inform clinical practice?

We suggest that the diagnosis of mixed anxiety depression at syndromal level (i.e. both anxiety and depressive diagnoses present in the same person and given equal status) is valuable clinically and should be introduced into the formal classification of neurotic and mood disorders. Evidence is given from a systematic review that cothymia has a significantly worse outcome than either an anxiety or a depressive diagnosis alone (p < 0.0001). Long-term follow-up data in a 12-year outcome study of neurotic disorder reinforce this finding both with regard to social functioning and the clinical course of anxiety and depressive disorders; these were significantly worse (P < 0.001 and P < 0.02 respectively) in those with cothymia compared with single anxiety disorders. These outcome differences are much greater than those between anxiety and depressive disorders alone.

Long-term outcome of hypochondriacal personality disorder

Hypochondriacal personality disorder diagnosed according to the Personality Assessment Schedule, a structured clinical interview, was related to outcome after 2 years and 5 years in a randomized, controlled trial of treatment of generalized anxiety, panic, and dysthymic disorders. Seventeen individuals (9%) from a population of 181 patients had hypochondriacal personality disorder and they experienced a significantly worse outcome than other patients, including those with other personality disorders, in terms of symptomatic change and health service utilization. This lack of improvement was associated with persistent somatization in hypochondriacal personality disorder. The results give further support to the belief that hypochondriacal personality disorder is a valid clinical diagnosis that has important clinical correlates, but further work is needed to establish the extent of its overlap with hypochondriasis as a mental state disorder.

Prediction of outcome in neurotic disorder: a 5-year prospective study

BACKGROUND

There have been no previous studies of the outcome of different neurotic disorders in which a prospective group with original randomization to treatment have been followed up over a long period. Such studies are important in identifying the factors associated with good and poor outcome.

METHODS

A 5-year follow-up assessment was made of a cohort of 210 psychiatric out-patients seen in general practice psychiatric clinics with a DSM-III diagnosis of generalized anxiety disorder (71), panic disorder (74) or dysthymic disorder (65) and randomized to drug treatment, cognitive and behaviour therapy, and self-help. A total of 182 of the patients (87%) were assessed after 5 years by examination of hospital and GP records using a standardized procedure and outcome determined with a four-point outcome scale.

RESULTS

One hundred and seven (60%) of the patients had a favourable outcome but the remainder continued to be handicapped either intermittently or continuously throughout the 5-year period. Analysis of the value of initial data in predicting outcome using polychotomous step-wise logistic regression revealed that five variables were significant predictors of poor prognosis: older age; recurrent episodes; the presence of personality disorder at entry; general neurotic syndrome at entry; and symptom severity after 10 weeks. The initial DSM diagnosis and original treatment given, together with ten other variables, were of no predictive value.

CONCLUSIONS

The long-term outcome of neurotic disorder is better predicted by age, personality and recency of onset than by other clinical variables with the exception of initial response to treatment.

Diagnosis of 'ME', which makes an external attribution for fatigue

To the Editor: The paper by Chalder et al. (26, 791–800) in a cross-sectional study concludes that the diagnosis of ‘ME’, which makes an external attribution for fatigue, ‘seems to protect against psychological distress but not against disability’. We should like to offer strong support for this conclusion from the prospective data of a patient involved in a 12-year study of the outcome of neurotic disorder.

A three-year follow-up of psychiatric morbidity in urban and rural primary care

Follow-up by examination of medical and psychiatric records was carried out on 357 patients with conspicuous psychiatric morbidity in two general practices three years after clinical and personality assessment using structured interview schedules. One practice was an inner-city urban one and the other was rural. Full follow-up data over the 3-year period was available for 301 patients (84.3%). After three years patients with personality disorder and those in the urban practice had greater morbidity, more contacts with all levels of the psychiatric service and more psychotropic drugs, particularly benzodiazepines. Despite this increased morbidity, the number of consultations with the general practitioner for psychiatric illness was no higher in the urban group and those for medical illness were significantly higher in the rural one. The implications of the findings are discussed with particular reference to developments in community psychiatric care.

A survey of the treatment of anxiety disorders in general practice

Three hundred and fifty seven patients with conspicuous psychiatric morbidity in two general practices in Nottinghamshire, one urban and one rural, were followed up for three years after original assessment. All patients were initially assessed for current mental state, personality status and alcohol problems using standard instruments. Of these patients 131 were diagnosed as suffering from anxiety states and other neurotic disorders. In the three year period 87% had received treatment from the general practitioner and 24% had been referred to a psychiatrist. The most common treatment was a prescription for tricyclic antidepressants (59%) but benzodiazepines were prescribed for the longest period. Only 8% of patients received psychotherapy or behaviour therapy. It is argued that this pattern of treatment represents the best use of current knowledge.