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


METHODS
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.


RESULTS
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.


CONCLUSIONS
When anxiety disorders are diagnosed, in older people there is a relatively high probability of comorbid conditions being present.
van Balkom
A J
AJ
Department of Psychiatry and Institute for Research in Extramural Medicine, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Beekman
A T
AT
de Beurs
E
E
Deeg
D J
DJ
van Dyck
R
R
van Tilburg
W
W
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001569:Benzodiazepines / Q000009:adverse effects; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000453:epidemiology; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D016584:Panic Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology; D010698:Phobic Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology
D001569:Benzodiazepines