Domestic violence, PTSD, and diagnostic enquiry.

摘要

It was refreshing to read a paper and editorial that sought to identify causes of patients' anxiety in their life events, as patients complain that doctors often fail to ask why they are anxious or depressed. The reported research identified domestic violence and abuse (DVA) as a cause of anxiety using the HARK questions (four short questions relating to Humiliation, being Afraid, Raped, and Kicked).The paper also notes that the Generalised Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7) can be used as a 'case-finder' for panic-disorder, social anxiety disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), as well as generalised anxiety disorder (GAD).