Comorbidity of the anxiety disorders in a community-based older population in The Netherlands

• Published in: Acta psychiatrica Scandinavica Vol. 101; no. 1; pp. 37 - 45
• Main Authors: VAN BALKOM, A. J. L. M, BEEKMAN, A. T. F, DE BEURS, E, DEEG, D. J. H, VAN DYCK, R, VAN TILBURG, W
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Blackwell 2000
• Subjects: Age Factors; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Alcohol Drinking - epidemiology; Anxiety Disorders - diagnosis; Anxiety Disorders - epidemiology; Benzodiazepines - adverse effects; Biological and medical sciences; Chronic Disease - epidemiology; Cognition Disorders - epidemiology; Comorbidity; Cross-Sectional Studies; Depressive Disorder - epidemiology; Female; Geriatrics; Humans; Longitudinal Studies; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Netherlands - epidemiology; Panic Disorder - epidemiology; Phobic Disorders - epidemiology; Prevalence; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Substance-Related Disorders - epidemiology; Substance-Related Disorders - etiology; Netherlands; Europe; Human; Mood disorder; Consumption; Social environment; Prevalence; Cognitive disorder; Disease; Mental health; Anxiety disorder; Depression; Alcoholic beverage; Concomitant disease; Chronic; Sociodemographic factor; Benzodiazepine derivatives; Elderly; Community; Comparative study; Public health; Somatic disease
• ISSN: 0001-690X; 1600-0447
• DOI: 10.1034/j.1600-0447.2000.101001037.x

The aim of the study was to investigate patterns of comorbidity among the anxiety disorders in a community-based older population, and the relationship of these disorders with major depression, use of alcohol and benzodiazepines, cognitive impairment and chronic somatic illnesses. The data were derived from the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam (LASA) study. A two-stage screening design was adopted to identify respondents with anxiety disorders. In total, 10% of the elderly with an anxiety diagnosis suffered from two or more anxiety disorders. Major depression (13% vs. 3%), benzodiazepine use (24% vs. 11%) and chronic somatic diseases (12% vs. 7%) were significantly more prevalent in respondents with an anxiety disorder than in respondents without anxiety disorders. Heavy or excessive alcohol intake (5% vs. 4%) and cognitive impairment (11% vs. 13%) were not significantly associated with any anxiety disorder. When anxiety disorders are diagnosed, in older people there is a relatively high probability of comorbid conditions being present.