The prevalence of body dysmorphic disorder and its clinical correlates in a VA primary care behavioral health clinic

• We examined the prevalence of body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) in a Veterans Affairs (VA) hospital primary care behavioral health clinic.
• BDD appears to be a prevalent disorder in a VA primary care behavioral health clinic but usually goes undiagnosed.
• Veterans with BDD have a substantially elevated rate of suicide attempts, major depression, and obsessive–compulsive disorder.

We examined the prevalence of body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) in a Veterans Affairs (VA) primary care behavioral health clinic. Of 100 Veterans, 11% (95% CI=6.3–18.6%) had current BDD and 12% (95% CI=7.0–19.8%) had lifetime BDD. However, only 8.3% of these Veterans had been diagnosed with BDD. BDD was significantly associated with a substantially elevated rate of suicide attempts, major depression, and obsessive–compulsive disorder. This severe disorder appears to be underdiagnosed in VA settings.