"It's clear that the clinicians who cared for patients in this study did not adequately diagnose anxiety in order to get an accurate representation of how their patient truly felt," Frazier said.
Only 15 out of 39 patients given anxiolytic medication had information in their charts describing how effective the medication was in controlling anxiety. Medication was given mainly to patients who clinicians had decided were anxious. Nearly all of the patients (99) were given pain medication.
Doctors and nurses treated fewer than half (46) of the patients with non-drug anxiety management techniques, including supportive therapy and reassurance.
"These strategies were written simply as 'supportive therapy' and usually lacked further description," said Frazier, adding that these techniques were usually used on patients who reported feeling little or no anxiety.
Only one participant's medical chart contained follow-up information on the effectiveness of non-medication intervention.
"The lack of congruence between how anxious a patient says he feels, his caregiver's evaluation of that anxiety, and the use of appropriate anxiety management strategies suggests that anxiety management is inconsistent and potentially ineffective," Frazier said.
--Ohio State University
Source: Academic press release from Ohio State University posted through Newswise.
Last updates 3/3/06
