Anxiety Disorders ____________________________________________________________________________
Implicit Bias in Health Care The role of implicit biases on healthcare outcomes has become a concern, as there is some evidence that implicit biases contribute to health disparities, profes- sionals’ attitudes toward and interactions with patients, quality of care, diagnoses, and treatment decisions. This may produce differences in help-seeking, diagnoses, and ultimately treatments and interventions. Implicit biases may also unwittingly produce professional behaviors, attitudes, and interactions that reduce patients’ trust and comfort with their provider, leading to earlier termina- tion of visits and/or reduced adherence and follow-up. Disadvantaged groups are marginalized in the healthcare system and vulnerable on multiple levels; health profes- sionals’ implicit biases can further exacerbate these existing disadvantages. Interventions or strategies designed to reduce implicit bias may be categorized as change-based or control- based. Change-based interventions focus on reducing or changing cognitive associations underlying implicit biases. These interventions might include challenging stereotypes. Conversely, control-based interventions involve reducing the effects of the implicit bias on the individual’s behaviors. These strategies include increas- ing awareness of biased thoughts and responses. The two types of interventions are not mutually exclusive and may be used synergistically.
CONCLUSION Anxiety disorders are among the most prevalent mental health disorders encountered in primary care settings, yet these disor- ders often go under-recognized and undertreated for a variety of reasons, including reluctance to discuss emotional and psychological distress; clinic and practitioner time constraints; and attribution of symptoms to somatic conditions. Chronic- ity and episodic exacerbations often lead to ongoing personal distress and functional disability, resulting in excessive health- care utilization and societal costs. Screening tools are available for diagnostic purposes, and effective pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy regimens specific to each anxiety disorder have been developed. The prevalence, distress/disability, potential for comorbidity, and management complexities associated with anxiety disorders emphasize the need for understanding (and paying attention to) the clinical presentation, differential diag- nosis, and appropriate treatment selection in these patients.
WORKS CITED https://qr2.mobi/anxiety-disorders
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