Qualitative analysis of mental health clinicians' perspectives on external barriers to diagnosing anxiety disorders in the Veterans Health Administration.

Anxiety disorders are at least twice as common among veterans as in the general population, yet many patients receive a nonspecific “unspecified anxiety disorder” diagnosis that may limit targeted treatment. This qualitative study found that limited diagnostic tools, time constraints, incomplete histories, poor referral information, patient difficulty describing symptoms, and mental health stigma all hinder diagnostic specificity. Clinicians suggested better screening tools, more training, improved communication, and greater use of collateral information to improve diagnosis.