A community-based telephone survey of social anxiety disorder in Hong Kong.

Background: Research on the prevalence and characteristics of social anxiety disorder (SAD) is lacking in Chinese communities.

Methods: A random telephone survey of 3006 individuals aged 15-45 years in Hong Kong was conducted using a questionnaire that generated DSM-IV diagnosis and other clinical characteristics of SAD.

Results: 3.2% of the participants surveyed met criteria for SAD in the previous year. Their demographic and clinical characteristics are typical. Only 8.7% of sufferers sought medical treatment.

Limitations: No clinical reappraisal was conducted. Severity and comorbidity of SAD were not examined.

Conclusions: SAD is a cross-culturally real illness. The prevalence, chronicity, and under-treatment of SAD in Chinese people calls for further research and efforts to reduce its treatment gap.