Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for generalised anxiety disorder and health service utilisation among Chinese patients in primary care: a randomised, controlled trial.

Generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) is one of the most common mental health problems in the primary care or community setting.1 Medication or cognitive behavioural therapy is the first-line treatment for GAD, but medication is associated with side-effects and costs, and individual cognitive behavioural therapy is expensive and timeconsuming. Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) is useful to reduce anxiety symptoms by training present-moment mindful awareness.2 This study was conducted to compare the effectiveness of MBCT with psycho-education (based on cognitive behavioural therapy principles) and usual care in patients with GAD.3 A total of 182 participants aged 21 to 65 years with a principal diagnosis of GAD were randomised to receive 8 weeks of MBCT (n=61), psycho-education (n=61), or usual care (n=60). The MBCT and psychoeducation groups were comparable in terms of the course structure and the therapist’s contact time and attention. Participants who received usual care had unrestricted access to medical services; they were on a waiting list for MBCT and did not receive any intervention until the end of their study period (3 months after intervention). Validated scales were used to assess psychological symptoms including anxiety, worry, and depressive symptoms, and quality of care at baseline, end of intervention, and 3 months after the intervention. Participants in the MBCT and psycho-education groups were further assessed at 6 and 9 months after intervention. At baseline, the three groups were comparable in terms of demographic and socio-economic factors as Hong Kong Med J 2016;22(Suppl 6):S35-6 HHSRF project number: 07080451