[Health status and anxiety in the elderly. A longitudinal perspective].
The prognostic value of physical health for changes in anxiety symptoms in older people was investigated in a prospective longitudinal study design with data from the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam (LASA). In a sample of 2165 older (> 55 yrs.) respondents anxiety symptoms were measured twice over a three year interval with the anxiety subscale of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS-A). Utilizing a cut-off value of 4 on the HADS-A, subjects were considered as anxious or as non-anxious. Based on the first assessment two groups were formed: subjects with and subjects without anxiety symptoms. In the non-anxious cohort the effect of physical health on the development of anxiety symptoms was studied; in the anxious cohort the same factors were evaluated on their predictive value for chronicity of anxiety. Indices of physical health included the presence of chronic diseases, functional limitations, and self-perceived health at the first assessment and changes on these variables over time. Results revealed that poor self-perceived health was predictive of incidence (OR = 1.5; 95% CI = 1.3-1.8) and chronicity of anxiety (OR = 1.2; CI = 1.0-1.5). Regarding chronic diseases, the results showed that suffering from more than one chronic disease predicted becoming anxious and chronicity of anxiety (OR = 1.7; CI = 1.2-2.5 and OR = 2.2; CI = 1.3-3.6, respectively). Specific chronic diseases were not strongly related to a change in anxiety levels. Thus, somatic diseases not only lead to depression, a finding reported in numerous studies, but also increase the likelihood of anxiety symptoms at a later point in time.
de Beurs
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Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam. Edwindb@pca-znw.nl
Deeg
D J
DJ
Beekman
A T
AT
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012307:Risk Factors; D012647:Self-Assessment