Health care costs associated with depressive and anxiety disorders in primary care

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Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The authors examined the overall health care costs associated with depression and anxiety among primary care patients. METHOD: Of 2,110 consecutive primary care patients in a health maintenance organization, 1,962 were screened with the 12-item General Health Questionnaire. A stratified random sample of 615 patients were selected for further diagnostic assessment; 373 of these patients completed the Composite International Diagnostic Interview at baseline and 328 were reassessed 12 months later. Computerized cost records were used to calculate total health care costs for the 6-month period surrounding the baseline assessment and a similar period surrounding the follow-up assessment. Cost accounting data were available for 327 patients at baseline and for 206 patients at both assessments. RESULTS: Primary care patients with DSM-III-R anxiety or depressive disorders at baseline had markedly higher baseline costs ($2,390) than patients with subthreshold disorders ($1,098) and those with no anxiety...