generalized anxiety disorder scale (GAD-2, GAD-7)

Introduction

7 item scale for screening & assessing treatment outcome for anxiety disorder in primary care.

The GAD-2 is a 2 item version of the 7 item scale.

best screening to for anxiety in primary care

Procedure

• questions ask the frequency of symptoms over the past 2 weeks
  • hard to control worry*
  • feelings of nervousness or anxiety

• repsonses (scoring)
  • 0: not at all
  • 1: several days
  • 2: > 1/2 of days
  • 3: nearly every day

* "In the past 2 weeks, how often were you not able to stop worrying or control your worrying?" is the single best screening question

Interpretation

• a score 0-5 = minimal-mild anxiety
• a score 6-10 = mild-moderate anxiety
• a score 11-15 = moderate-severe anxiety
• a score 16-21 = severe anxiety

More general terms

• anxiety assessment
• numerical rating scale (NRS)