Kirkuk Journal of Medical Sciences

Abstract

Abstract
Background: Generalized anxiety disorder is characterized by chronic and persistent worry which is multifocal, excessive, and difficult to control, and accompanied by nonspecific psychological and physical symptoms. Objectives: Determine the proportion of GAD, evaluate clinical symptoms with socio-demographic data and determine whether such patients have co-morbid mental illnesses. Methods: this cross sectional study was conducted at Baghdad teaching hospital, 263 patients included; the study took 17 weeks starting in June 2021 till mid October 2021. Results: 2.6% of patients (7 patients from 263) found to have GAD, men and women were almost equally affected, most of the patients were employed and married, had secondary school achievements and all of them were from urban areas. Restlessness and irritability were the most frequent symptoms and sleep disturbance was the least among other symptoms. Depression was the most frequent comorbid illness; other anxiety disorders and personality disorder were the least comorbidities. Conclusion: The proportion of GAD is slightly lesser than other studies, higher proportion seen in older adults than the younger patients, common symptoms of GAD are also seen in other psychiatric disorders leading to under-diagnosing of the illness, and mental health comorbidities are high among patients with GAD, mainly depression.